The sea coast echo. [volume] (Bay Saint Louis, Miss.) 1892-current, 1899-07-01
MAJOR JAMES X. VARDAMAN IN
BAY ST. LOUIS.

James K. Vardaman, lawyer,
editor, legislator, soldier, at pres
ent candidate for Governor of
Mississippi, addressed the public
last Saturday evening at the court
house in Bay St.Louis in the inter-
est of his candidacy, touching in
a most direct and emphatic man.
ner on the issues of the day, par
ticularly those confronting Mis-
sissippi. The open, decided and
aggressive stand embraced was
striking and meritorious for the
deep admiration it won, arresting
at the same time profound thought
and asserting regard. He came,
he saw, he conquered. The gath
ering was representative, the larg-
est Hancock's temple of Justice
ever rooted in one evening, a tes-
timoniaI of infinite worth and
although it might be said elabor-
ate, none too eXtravagant for
the occasion. The flower of the
evening was the presence of many
admiring ladies, enthusiastic,
spontaneously responsive to the
poetical and oratorical impulses,
log'c and power that sprayed in
bursting meteors from the intel
lectual fountain-the magnetism
of Vardaman. The true gentle,
man, the gallant that he is, Maj.
Vardaman was not slow to apprc-
ciate the presence of the "'lovely
and fair, ''and frequently localized
his remarks III their direction. On
the table near by had been placed
a large bouquet of natural roses
from ladies Of the place, with their
compliments to the Major. AT
the appointed hour the courthouse
was filled with the Mecca of the
tcwn's most intellectual and best
element, then Major Vardaman in
the midst of loyal friends entered
and was yociferouslY greeted. OF
striking appearance, handsome,
flushed with the vigor of youth
and with cOuntenance lit by the
brilliancy of a master mind, his
entrance was triumphal; the chi
valorous Vardaman had captured
the audience. But the modest
| plain, unassumin9 citizen entered
without preteDse at ostentatious
display, taking a seat near the
rostrum. After the fainting echo
of the deafening applause hac
wasted over the dying breath OF
time, Major Vardaman was intro.
duced by Hon. ". 7. Mcdonald
in the customary manner
prefacing the introduction viii
the fact that the gentleman'>
name and fame were 50 popuIarly
known that there was little il
anything left to be said by way
of introduction.
Characteristic Of all able speak
ers, Major Vardaman began his
discourse mildly and in a wei
modulated way, fascinating, as il
were, his hearers; and continuing
he swayed as if by will the human
sea before him. He dwell at lengtl
on the folly and danger of The
Administrations imperial policy,
cOndemning expansion In severe
tones, touching incidentally OF
the greatness of this, the great
est Of republics. He supported
his argument with much material
citing in one instance England
with her colonial possessions,
how today statistical data proved
that country's prosperity was
retrogressing. He urged the con
sideration of the immediate need
of a capital building, and his cleo
tion would mean the wish of the
people of Mississippi gratifled in
that respect, a capitol not necessa'
rily too costly, but serviceable, 8
monument to the progressive
ness of the State, and commensu-
rate with not only the needs but
with the dignity of Mississippi.
He favored most heartily an
elective Judiciary, telling how
much confidence he had in the
people at the ballot over the in
dividual in power; that the people
were fully competent to select
their own judges. He favored a
radical change in the workings of
the school law, condemning the
inequitable distribution of funds
between the whites and blacks.