The sea coast echo. [volume] (Bay Saint Louis, Miss.) 1892-current, 1899-02-11
SKETCH OF YARDAMAN.
"THE HOUR AND THE IAN HAVE
MET"
The Grenada 0renadian Comes Out
For Mississippps Next Governor,
and Publishes an Interesting Sketch
of the Subject.

That James K. Vardaman will
be Mississippi's next governor is
a foregone conclusion. The State
in a gratifying majority are rally
ing to his support. The Grenads
Grenadian is the latest to fall il
line, embadying its opinion anc
advocacy in the following lines:
We nail to our masthead this
week as the choice of The Grena-
dian for our next chief executive
of the grand old commonwealth
of Mississippi the name of that
brilliant journalist, brainy states
man and patriotic soldier and
citizen, Capt. Jas. K. Vardaman,
of Lefiore. In doing tins we
have weighed well the issues in
volved and the merit of the aspi-
rants for this high honor, and
while we cheerfully and proudly
realize the merits of each of the
gentlemen, and will cordially and
faithfully support the nominee,
yet we recognize in Capt. Varda-
man the man for the place.
If there has ever been IN the
history of Mississippi 4 time when
a new era in government and a
new order of craftsmanship was
in demand that time is now. This
fact is well recognized by clear
thinking men and especially by
those who are without the pale of
self-aggrandizement solely, but
consider the interest of the COM
monwealth paramount TO all else.
The juncture demands man who
is free from all pledges or promi-
ses, from all trades, and traffic,
aud tricks of a political nature
one who stands free and unfet-
tered, competent, capable and
courageous to execute the right
because it is the right without fear
or favor, and all these qualities
we find united in the gentleman
whose cause we now advocate.
The man and the hour have met.
Captain Vardaman has proven
again AID again, in every walk of
life, that he has the proper stuff
within him, of which heroes are
made. His father was q farmer,
pure and simple. The war swept
away his negroes, and in an en-
deavor to better his condition, the
farm soon followed. Thus, he
was left farmer without a farm
or field-hand, and without no
other vocation. There was moth
ing, no alternative, but to rent
land and put his own hand to the
plow. This course he pursued to
support his wife and six children.
The subject of this sketch, Jas.
K. being the fourth. On the farm
and under these conditions, less
than a score of miles from Grena-
da in Yalobusha county, did Cap
tam Vardaman attain his young
manhood. AS rapidly as his
growth gave ability, that ability
was expended generously and
cheerfully to better the condition
of the father and mother whom
he loved and honored, and of the
brothers and sisters whom he
loved and cherished.
When the crop was laid by he
attended the free school of the
neighborhood for a month or two
at time, usually walking three
miles back daily to enjoy this
greatly advantageous opportunity.
When the crop was harvested. in
the winter, at such times as his
services could be spared from
home he improved the opportuni.
ty by picking cotton on adjoining
farms by the hundred pounds, the
consideration therefore being
usually so cents per hundred
Under such adverse circumstan
ces he secured what is commonly
termed "his education" Today
he is generally conceded to be one
of the most graceful, most force
full, most finished writer's In the
state, with few equals aud no SUI
periors. In the legislature he rap
idly forged to the front and up
on the occasion of bis second tern
of service therein he was, upol
the organization of that body, ap
pointed chairman of the commit
tee on appropriations, besides be
ing member of the other mos
important committees. A vacan
cy occurring in the speakership
he was unanimously chosen t.
that high and responsible posi-
ton, secondary in importanc
to that of governor only. He ha
since represented his state a
| delegate to the national demo
cratic convention, and in the las
presidential election was place.
upon the national ticket as one o
| the two electors from the state
at-large. His voluntary servlc
in the late Cuban war is too fresl
| in the minds of the people to jus
tify recital now, though we ma
have occasion to refer to it here
after. He is, at present, with hi
regiment at Santiago de Cuba
where he will remain in the dis
charge of his duty until the legi
ment is discharged or ordere'
home. Upon every occasion, il
every condition, he has performe'
the duties of the hour efficiently
honorably, faithfully. Should b
be elected, Mississippi will be as
sured of a clean. clear, hightone'
administration and of chief ex
|ecutive to whom she may poin
with pride.