The free press. (Poplarville, Miss.) 1890-19??, 1899-06-22

Wlue spTeau Cuat I1OH. OOHH ..
Williams made a mistake in not en-
tering the race for the U. S. Senate.
Since that time this idea has grown
into conviction that has chrystal-
lied INTO demand so general and
urgent that Mr.. Williams, in justice
to his friends and the Democratic
party, could no longer ignore il,
and yielding to This pressure, he
has decided to enter the race. The
following speech delivered before
the Yaz)o County Democratic { on
veuton last Tuesday, and put in
the form of two cards to the peO-
pie OF Mississippi, will be found of
interes. to the voters Of the State:
To the Democratic people of
Mississippi
At Winona on the 18th Of March
| announced, IN effect, that this was
in my opinion an inopportune time
for me to become candidate for a
place in the United States Senate.
| still think the course taken there,
in SO Tar as it personally concerned
me, was wise one 20 take AMI to
persist in. Things have occurred
recently, however, to induce me,
regardless of the wisdom or uEwis-
dom of the course, as affecting my
own private interest or personal
convenience or political fortunes, to
announce myself as a candidate for
the long term beginning March 4,
1901.
The people Of the "ever Faithful
County of Leake, than whom NO
man ever had woithier, or more
partial friends have by many peti'
tons bearing very many names, re-
qntsted the Executive Committee
~ put my name, noIens volens, on
the ticket to be voted at the Sena-
torial rimary in that county.
The mittee, acting in cons
pllance with the spirit Of the pri-
mary election law, has acceded to
that request. | understand from
friends in other counties that it is
their desire and purpose to initiate
their example.
The County Executive Committee
of Holmes county has passed rcso-
ldtions requesting me 10 announce
myself as a candidate, and appoint
ed a committee of seven prominent
gentlem to come TO Yazoo City
and urge that course personally,
who haye performed the task Cons
mitted to them.
The Executive Committee of
Yazoo county passed similar reso-
lutions several weeks since. Sew
eral candidates for the Legislature,
some in my own county, by cards
in the newspapers, and some 10
other localities by letters, have de~
clared their purpose of voting for
me, announced or uDannounced.
Many hundreds of friends from all
over the State, but especially IN
my District, have written urging
an announcement.
Add to this the fact that Commit
tee, appointed oy the primary cons
vention Of Yazoo county, has just
called upon noe with set of reso-
lutions most complimentary in its
terms, urging me in the name of
Yazoo County to offer myself as a
candidate. The words of that RESI-
olution are words of precious inns
port to me. Every man with self
re spect, who is not lost to that
interest in human affairs which ties
man to man and friend to friend,
Graves and yearns for the affection
and the love of his fellow'cltlzens
and especially of his neighbois-I,
perhaps, more than most men.
The idea Of permitting my friends,
and especially any of my coDstitu-
ents in the Fifth District, to fight a
battle in my name and for my bene.
lit, while / bear the appearance OF
cowardly tagging 10 the rear-equal-
ly ready to seize and enjoy the
fruits of their success, if they suc-
coed, or to shift the onus of their
defeat, if they should be defeated.
by saying ~ was not candidate"
is an idea intolerable to me.
Leaving out of consideration, there
fore, the question whether the
time and place Of giving battle
would have been the time and place
selected by me or not, l must be
ruled simply by this obvious re-
flec'iou; that if it be The chance of
my friends TO incur defeat In my
cause, it must be the part of duty
and houor alike for me to share
defeat with them name and all
so 10 reality. If. on the other hand,
it shall be their chance to achieve
success, the victory will be really
theirs and not mine, because the
Initiative will have been theirs, not
mine.