Wednesday, December 23, 2020

Sid Salter: Winter Moved Mississippi Forward

  It is certainly no stretch of the truth to suggest that at the time of his death last week at the age of 97, former Mississippi Gov. William Winter was by and large beloved by the people of Mississippi.

Through his actions and his manner, Winter earned that status. The state's Democrats lionized him, emulated him, and invoked his name in their own political affairs. Despite their steadfast disagreements over public policy, the state's Republicans respected him, wisely realizing that well into Winter's ninth decade, his fingers on the political scales still had significant weight.

Winter's great gift was his ability to disagree agreeably. To friend or foe, Winter was courtly, respectful, and as kind as people would allow him to be. Even when angered or provoked, Winter was always measured and in control when he responded.

His signature accomplishment as governor was the passage of the Education Reform Act of 1982. Getting that legislation passed by a Mississippi Legislature that had no initial intention of passing it spoke to Winter's ability to forge strong coalitions and not get hung up on who took credit for the outcome.

Winter's 1982 education reform package championed by the governor and his "Boys of Spring" staffers – David Crews, Bill Gartin, John Henegan, Ray Mabus, Dick Molpus, and Andy Mullins. Former House Speaker Pro Tempore Robert G. Clark of Ebenezer and the late Tupelo business leader Jack Reed Sr. also played vital roles. The state's newspapers were firmly in support of the reforms as well.

Winter shared the credit for the passage of the reforms generously. At Winter's death on Dec. 19 – almost exactly 38 years to the day after passage of the historic education reforms – the sheer legislative improbability of that policy victory makes it endure in Mississippi political lore as "the Christmas Miracle."

From that point forward, Winter's reputation was that of a dogged progressive reformer, the standard-bearer for bringing Mississippi up to par with the rest of the country, and a firm supporter and facilitator of racial reconciliation in his home state. All of those accolades ring true.

But Winter was also a pragmatic politician who lived during the painfully slow and politically dangerous transition from monolithic segregation and Jim Crow laws to federal intervention to attain a modicum of integration. Today, no state in the union has more Black elected officials than does Mississippi.

His early career reflected the political realities of his day. As Dutch scholar Maarten Zwiers of an assistant professor in contemporary and U.S. history at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands, wrote in a fascinating 2015 article in the University of Southern Mississippi's Southern Quarterly entitled "Good Cop, Bad Cop: Segregationist Strategies and Democratic Party Politics in Mississippi, 1948 – 1960":

"From the heyday of massive resistance until his (unsuccessful) 1967gubernatorial campaign, William Winter called himself a 'Jim Eastland – John Stennis Democrat.' Both senators championed the interests of white Mississippi, including segregation, while they also successfully managed to keep the state in the Democratic ranks until the 1950s.

"While Eastland did not shy away from making extremely racist claims and was an outspoken advocate of massive resistance to racial integration, Stennis based his opposition to Black civil rights more on constitutional arguments and followed a practical segregation course," Zwiers wrote.

Young Winter, walking the tightrope between those two approaches, by 1962 was preaching compromise: "Compromise per se is not only not bad, but on the other hand is as necessary as breathing. What so many of these starry-eyed idealists could never bring themselves to understand was that in the world of politics, of all places, there is seldom room for total victory."

Zwiers concluded: "The subsequent destruction of Jim Crow not only enfranchised Southern Blacks but also opened the way for a moderate like William Winter to become one of the most successful progressive governors in the history of Mississippi."

Winter was also exceedingly persistent in his pursuit of the Mississippi Governor's Mansion, losing to Democrat John Bell Williams in 1967 and Democrat Cliff Finch in 1975 before defeating Republican Gil Carmichael in 1979. 

Sid Salter is a syndicated columnist. Contact him at sidsalter@sidsalter.com 

 

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

a democrat-

Anonymous said...

I wonder what he could have done in a second term had Mississippi allowed for the re-election of governors.

Anonymous said...

and former segregationist-

Anonymous said...

@10:53, prove it.

Anonymous said...

He made his fortune collecting the black market tax.

Anonymous said...

10:53 Before 1970 in Mississippi you were a segregationist or you were NOT a politician. You were also a Democrat or you were not an office holder. That is reality. Just a little perspective.

Anonymous said...

@12:48, name one thing Governor Winter did or did not do that promoted segregation.

Anonymous said...

I personally liked William. He was a fine man, and he was spot on in later years concerning race relations in Mississippi. May God bless his family.

Regarding the Education Reform Act (which has always been preceded in print by the news media with "historic"), please someone explain the efficacy of that legislation. Stated a different way, how did the ERA make our state's public educational system better?

While not much is written in the news media about William's serving as state tax colletor, it was a fact back in the day that Mississippi's treasurer was the highest paid public official in the United States. The treasurer sole duty was to collect the black market tax on illegal liquor being sold in Mississippi. The state treasurer was allowed by law to keep 10% of the tax.

In 1961, William Winter, as treasurer, collected $1.45 million in black market taxes for the state. According to a Life Magazine article in 1962, Winter's cut was $145,000. At the time, the president of the United States was paid $100,000. Based on inflation, $145,000 would be approximately $1.24 million in one year in 2020 dollars. There was good reason for the belief that the Mississippi treasurer was the highest paid public official in Mississippi.

Winter was tax collector for six years, so he made a fortune in 1950's and 60's serving in that capacity.

The money was earned honestly and legally, but he idea of a public official earning as much as he did for collecting taxes on illegal sales rubbed many the wrong way.

When Winter was state tax collector, each county sheriff was also the county's tax collector. Many counties also collected taxes from bootleggers. It was believed the sheriffs of Harrison and Hinds counties collected almost as much in black market taxes as the state treasurer. But that is a another story.

William Winter was Mississippi's last treasurer as the office was abolished by in the early '60's.



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Donna Ladd of The Jackson Free Press will give several classes on learning how to write. Smearing, writing without factchecking, and reporting only one side of a story will be covered. A donation to pay their taxes will be accepted and she will be signing copies of their former federal tax liens. Ms. Ladd will give a dramatic reading of her two award-winning essays (They received The Jackson Free Press "Best Of" awards.) "Why everything is always about me" and "Why I cover murders better than anyone else in Jackson".

In the spirit of helping those who are less fortunate, Trollfest '09 adopts a cause for which a portion of the proceeds and donations will be donated: Keeping Frank Melton in his home. The “Keep Frank Melton From Being Homeless” booth will sell chances for five dollars to pin the tail on the jackass. John Reeves has graciously volunteered to be the jackass for this honorable excursion into saving Frank's ass. What's an ass between two friends after all? If Mr. Reeves is unable to um, perform, Speaker Billy McCoy has also volunteered as when the word “jackass” was mentioned he immediately ran as fast as he could to sign up.


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This is definitely a Beaver production.


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Jackson Jambalaya is the home of Trollfest '07. Catch this great event which promises to leave NE Jackson & Fondren in flames. Sonjay Poontang and his band headline the night with a special steel cage, no time limit "loser must leave town" bout between Alan Lange and "Big Cat"Donna Ladd following afterwards. Kamikaze will perform his new song F*** Bush, he's still a _____. Did I mention there was no referee? Dr. Heddy Matthias and Lori Gregory will face off in the undercard dueling with dangling participles and other um, devices. Robbie Bell will perform Her two latest songs: My Best Friends are in the Media and Mama's, Don't Let Your Babies Grow up to be George Bell. Sid Salter of The Clarion-Ledger will host "Pin the Tail on the Trial Lawyer", sponsored by State Farm.

There will be a hugging booth where in exchange for your young son, Frank Melton will give you a loooong hug. Trollfest will have a dunking booth where Muhammed the terrorist will curse you to Allah as you try to hit a target that will drop him into a vat of pig grease. However, in the true spirit of Separate But Equal, Don Imus and someone from NE Jackson will also sit in the dunking booth for an equal amount of time. Tom Head will give a reading for two hours on why he can't figure out who the hell he is. Cliff Cargill will give lessons with his .80 caliber desert eagle, using Frank Melton photos as targets. Tackleberry will be on hand for an autograph session. KIM Waaaaaade will be passing out free titles and deeds to crackhouses formerly owned by The Wood Street Players.

If you get tired come relax at the Fox News Tent. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both will entitle you to free drinks.Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required, just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '07 is for EVERYONE!!!

This is definitely a Beaver production.

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