Rensselaer Republican, Volume 26, Number 47, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 July 1894 — CONFLICT OF AUTHORITY. [ARTICLE]

CONFLICT OF AUTHORITY.

Gov. Stone, of Mississippi, Delies Uncle Sam's Demands. The Mississippi Legislature, at its last = session, passed an act authorizing the Governor, Auditor and Treasurer to issue treasury warrants in denominations of $5, - should it become iloccssary to tide the State over the financial panic, The issue was limited to ?20Uj$00, and the warrants were to draw intermit at the rate of 2 per cent, per annum, payable Jan. 1 of each year until" the Legislature meets again, in 1596, The warrants were made payable to bearer, and it was the intention of the Legislature fir them to pass as money allover the State. Immediately after the passage of the act the State Auditor contracted with the St. Louis Bank Note Company for the printing of the warrants, and tfte first installment of $50,000 was delivered to the State Treasurer and placed in circulation a few days ago. Saturday, Gov. Stone received a dispatch from W. H. Hazen, chief of the United States Secret Service at Washington, demanding that the Governor send to him all of the unsigned warrants that have not been placed in circulation. Mr. Hazen also telegraphed the St. Louis Bank-note Company, demanding that the plates be turned over to the government. In an interview Governor Stone stated that lie would not comply with Mr. Hazen’s demand in any particular, and thatllie issue of the special warrants will bo continued until the full issue of $200,000 is completed. The State officials regard Hazen’s demand as an unwarranted interference and will not treat it seriously. They say that the demands were based on the assumption that these special warrants resembled too closely United States currency, and was violative to the statutes of Unite 1 States. This is strenuously denied by Governor Stoue, who says the act of the Legislature is sustained by the best legal authorities in the country. The Auditor has telegraphed the St. Louis Bank-note Company not to pay any attention to Hazen’s demands.