Okolona messenger., 1903-01-14
]. K, VARDAMAN ON INDIANOLA AFFAIR.

Editorial Greenwood
W m SFN the annals Of the political history
WI49Ie Of the world since the days Of Nero
YN X6 there is not to be found parallel
q kyTk} to the pusillanimOus low down,
n SHFERRA dirty and contemplate conduct Of
NF President Roosevelt regarding the
WI < IndianOla post office.
lJ There have been deeds commit
ted by heads OF governments followed by more wide
spread aud atrOciOus consequences bat none that
evidence a more craven and malignant spirit. II is
the work Of q human Oayote who would destroy the
civilization Of the better and more respectable section
OF the country OF which he by the accident Of an as
sassn's shot is president; he would brake down the
barriers which keep back and hold In restraint the
black wave Of ignorance, superstition and immoral
ity with which the south is perpetually threatened.
In a word, he would outrage the Goddess OF Truth,
with a cOntemptOus gust Of putrid breath blow out
the lamp Of experience and 10 gOulish like ferOciGy
tear open che graves fthe Past and pour upon the
sacred dust ef thOse who made our civilization the
vals Of his hell brewed contempt, il, to his vanity
distorted judgement it should appear that his pOlit
ical interests would thereby be subserved The
people OF IndianOla have committed no crime save
that OF respectfully requesting this neprO woman to
resign. That request was promptly granted and
thanks rendered by her to he people of Indianola"
for Withholding the request long. For this act Of
courtesy TO this creature who should be cooking or
washing for some white family, this entire commu-
nifty is to be punished by having their business de-
mOralized. said the people of IndianOla had
committed no crime." was mistaken-They did
commit crime against themselves when they al
lowed Cox aud his wife to hold this Office at all.
the request presented 70 "Mrs Minnie" last sum-
mer, should have been presented when hers and
his Office holding ambition frst commenced to bud.
Had that been done, the present trouble would have
been averted. It is the same old story. sMrs.
Minnie' did very nicely" for awhile and all moved
on smoothly as CREASED lightning through q sum-
mer cloud. But the end came it always comes.
The white folks got tired Of negro holding Office,
and requested" her to quit. They had the right
do that and she had the right to resign and it s
no business OF Roosevelt to object Why did be do
E thenf For no other reason than to humiliate the
white people. He had the pOWeF-nOt the right un-
der the laWbUt the power, and like the spectacular
lion masqueradlng that he is sdared to prostitute
that power. But probably am little harsh. It
is remotely possible that he may not know
any better 1 would not be uncharitable It is
said that men follow the bent Of their genius, and
that parental Influences are often potent in shaping
thoughts and ideas Of after liie Probably old lady
Roosevelt during the period Of CESSATION was fright
eBed by dog and that fact may account for the
qualities of the male pup which are so prominent in
Teddy. would not do either an injustice, but l
am disposed to apologize to the dog for mentioning
it.
Now just where this thing may end God AL
mighty only knows. II the negroes are wise they
will remove this Of friction. If they should
take courage from ROOsevetis attitude in this mat
ter, the trouble has only begun. The white people
Of the South will not permit the negroes to hold
Office. They viii not suffer their civilization des-
trOyed, even If to preserve it constitutions and
statutes must be violated. They may not be able
to dictate to the little mean coon favored misceg
enatiOnist Of the White House, but they can induce
the negroes to resign or refuse to accept And they
will do it. Let the honest decent people Of Indian
ola stand pat. They have the sympathy of every
decent white man in America. A few Office de-
bauehed perveTts may condemn them, but their
condemnation is the highest praise. It we're in
their place should haul my mail from Heathman
for the balance Of time rather than permit negro
to hold the Office. The issue is COmmine and we
had just as we'll prepare to meet il. This is but
mild sample Of the trouble which the states GRIM
nal policy OF Niger education win ultimately bring
upon rs. May God give the people OF Mississippi
eyes to see it and the courage to avert it.