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MISSISSIPPI
JOURNALISM.
IF WE HAD BEEN TOLD before we read it with our own eyes, that there was an editor in the state of
Mississippi whose sense of feeling was so far gone as to gloat over the mis-
fortunes and loss of a fellow editor and citizen, we would not have believed
it, and would have denied the charge with emphasis. It will be remember-
ed that a few days ago the Bank of Rosedale, of which the Hon. Chas. Scott
was president, failed, who was also editor of the Bolivar County Cemocrat,
and since that date the Vicksburg Herald, of which C. E. Wright is editor,
has in nearly every issue printed some cutting squib in regard to this gen-
tleman, none of which was noticed by Mr. Scott, until the one printed be-
low came out in the Dispatch.
"Hon. Chas. Scott, of Rosedale, has made a record as the greatest
"buster" of the times. He has busted a commission company, busted a
railroad, busted as a planter, busted as a merchant, busted a levee, busted a
county, busted as the appointee of Murray F. Smith to the United States
senate, tried to run the present state administration and busted, busted
the Bank of Rosedale, a chancery clerk, a county treasurer and all the
bank's other depositors. The only thing he failed to bust was the leeve
board which Gov. McLaurin carefully removed beyond his reach. Mr.
Scott is the Cervera of finance, and has won the title of Buster' Scott
which 'go along' well with Liza Jane' playfully applied by him to Hon.
Joseph Jayne, president of the levee board.
"We would not care to show up these things so fully, but Mr. Scott is
so free with his tongue and pen, that of course he doesn't mind the news-
papers giving the facts about him. After he has had more practice (not as
a lawyer) but as a banker, he will do better.
"At present, he seems to be a 'leetle' better politician than banker."
With a heart already overflowing with sorrow over the unfortunate af-
fair and now with a pride stung to the quick by such an uncalled for, un-
true and unfair attack on his own character, and realizing as he did his re-
sponsibility for the failure was not more than that of any other director,
and having already been joined by his noble wife, pledged their property and
their income to the payment of this loss, satisfying those who had their
money in the bank, he could do no more and his real thoughts, and not ones
couched in strong words for the pleasure of iconoclastic readers, are given:
"There is not one word of truth in all this contemptible tirade, except
that relating to my personal failure as a planter. It is well known that
this was participated by the payment of enormous security debts, followed
immediately by great financial stringency throughout the world, which finally
carried away some of the largest monied institutions of this and other
countries. It is also well known that all my real estate holdings, some 14,-
000 acres, mostly unincumbered at that time, were immediately pledged to
creditors, and that my good wife devoted to the same purpose a valuable
plantation, of which she was then the owner. Even our homestead was
placed under mortgage for a debt due a faithful employee and devoted
friend. We offered to turn over all this property bodily to creditors, but
they refused, and left it in my possession. I have been faithfully paying
their debts ever since, and despite the hard time, have retired over $50,000
as taprary as possible.
"The railroad alluded to, was a little country road built by Mr. Wise, of
Ohio. I gave $1.500 to it, as an important country improvement, and every
stockholder knew when he purchased his stock that he was virtually making
a gift for a like purpose, and that the road would be sold under the Wise
trust deed the moment the debt matured. This was contemplated from the
beginning, as is often the case in small enterprises of this sort.
"The commission house went down in consequence of low cotton and
the financial panic already mentioned, and not through any fault of mine,
though I lost over $35,000 in the crash.
"The statement as to the county, the bank store, the bank, the chan-
cery clerk, the county treasurer, the levee, the levee board and the bank de-
positors, are the fabrications of a gangreous mind. So far as the depositors
are concerned, they are well satisfied, and it is only a few mean little poli-
ticians, with no interest at stake, who are trying to use the occasion as
dirty political capital to forward their selfish schemes.
"The county treasurer and chancery clerk, with my assistance, are pre-
pared to meet all demands against them on presentation, and I am person-
ally receiving needy depositors every day. Indeed, I can safely say that not
one has really suffered. I have provided out of my personal means for over
$3500 of deposits since the bank closed its doors: partly in money and partly
in gilt-edged paper which the depositors were glad to take at par.
"Such is the confidnce of the bank's creditors that none of them are un-
easy, and the largest ones (some of them non-resident banks) have placed
all their collateral in my hands for attention and collection.
"Why, then, should these scurrilous articles be published?
"In the hour of adversity a BRAVE foe will refuse to strike. The
chivalric Saladin, it will be remembered, sent snow and ice to cool the fev-
ered brow of Coer de Lion, his intrepid foe. And in modern days, Sampson
and Schley were quick to succor Cervera in the hour of defeat. And in no
man with a spark of American manliness in his veins would fail to follow
their example. It naay be true that I am the Cervera of finance as the
Dispatch says. One thing is certain. I did the best I could with my bank
when I found it was in danger, (as the gallant admiral did with his fleet);
and this, too, without regard to my personal interest. The bank, unfor-
tunately, beached, at least for the time, but every depositor is safe.
"But again I ask, why these scurilous articles from day to day in the
columns of the Dispatch?
"The answer is not hard to find. They are intended to promote the in-
terests of my political enemies; though these gentlemen, I am perfectly sure
will repudiate such methods of warfare, aud can but despise the meanness
of their author,
"But beyond this, they are natural emanations of a dirty nature, a di-
seased mind. In short, THEY ARE CHARLEY WRIGHT.'
"He is a thorough blackguard and a most consummate liar.
"From the one comes filth, from the other only lies.
"This is no news at all to the public, but is known wherever he is
known.
"Nevertheless, I dislike to publish it because of the disagreeable notor-
iety that follows an article of tiris sort, and from the further fact that he
is an arrant coward, who will not dare resent it. Besides, a gentleman dis-
likes to touch a pole-cat under any circumstances, and I will not further
notice him or his infamous articles. Indeed, there is only ONE matter in
which I would think of according him the courtesy due a gentlemen. Even
that is far more than is deserved by a dirty scavenger and a tin horn gam-
oler and would be extended to him simply because, for the present, he
passes as a member of an honorrble professi on."
While we have met Mr. Scott only once in life, we were impressed
by him on that occasion as being a high-toned, honorable gentleman, one
who any state could be proud to claim as a cidzen. What he has done to call
all forth this virulent attack of the Dispatch, we are unable to see as the
editor is in no way a loser over the bank's failure. for have we read any-
thing among the editorials in Mr. Scott's paper-the Democrat-reflecting
upon the character of Mr. Wright. The people of Mississippi are tired of
such journalism and we do not think Mr. Wright or his paper has gained to
any new friends or the endorsement of its readers over his recent expressions
of pleasure on the business downfall of a fellow editor and citizen of the
state.
