The Durant news. (Durant, Miss.) 1882-1985, 1952-01-10
THROUGH
HAZEL
EYES
by Hazel Brannon Smith

"A AcW SneTl1l went into
office in Holmes county Mon.
day morning.
Throughout this county, jus,
as in other Mississippi coun-
ties, everyone has been inter-
ested in what the new sheriff
will do, or will try to do.
The warning issued by
Holmes County Sheriff Rich
ard F. Byrd in this issue of
your newspaper should leave
no doubt as to his stand to-
ward the lawless element of
cur county.
We want every reader of this
paper to read that notice of
warning and to pass it on to
his neighbor.
Then we want men and wo-
men in the county to pledge
themselves to cooperate to the
fullest extent with Sheriff
Byrd in the task he has set
out for himself.
He cannot do the best pos
sible job without the honest
cooperation of the people of
Holmes county.
We hope you will not let
him down.
The writer has already
pledged to Sheriff Byrd her
personal cooperation, both a.
an individual citizen and as
editor Of this paper, in doing
anything possible TO aid him in
his job. Mostly our efforts will
be to try to enlist public in
terest and aid in law enforce
ment in our county.
We hope every citizen will
do the same.
There is no reason why the
people of Holmes county
should have to continually be
embarrassed by the unfavor-
able publicity that we receive
from the doings of people
within our borders who are
concerned only with one
thing - making money with
out regard to method. The only
method they reject is honest
work or toll.
But these people are going
to continue to reside here, and
we are going to continue to
shine in the headlines, until
the citizens of Holmes county
sget indignant enough to. do
something about it.
There are several things you
can do.
You can stay away from
these places that line our high
ways and use all your influ-
ence to keep other people
away from them.
You can stand at all times
for law : enforcement an d
against those who oppose it.
You can welcome jury duty
rather than evade it.
You can speak words of en-
couragement to your sheriff.
You can lend your efforts
toward helping him rather
than repeating rumors you've
heard about what he's going
to do - or has done.
People will find out soon
enough what Sheriff Byrd is
doing and is going to do. II
you are interested in getting
facts read this paper every
week.
We promise you a factual ac-
count week by week of every
raid made with results, ar
rests made and charges pre-
ferred. The record will speak
for itself.
Not only do we intend to
back Sheriff Byrd up with
every means at our command
but we are. giving citizens of
our county fair warning at the
same time - if you do not
want to be embarrassed by
having your name appear in
the paper when arrested at
these roadside joints it would
be wise to stay away from
them.
Sheriff Byrd has warned
that he is going to arrest per-
sons lettering around these
places.
Any such arrests will be
given full publicity regard
less of who you are.
We still hold to the belief
that Holmes county is one of
the best counties in the state
and its people among the fin
est. But it is time for our best
citizens to strengthen the hand
Of our law enforcement officers
rather than sit idly by and
criticize.
We cannot indefinitely with
good conscience call ourselves
good citizens unless we take
an active part in our COM
munity and county affairs.
To live up to our obligation
- II u