The Columbus weekly dispatch. (Columbus, Miss.) 1902-1905, 1903-09-10
The vardaman SPECIAL.


ers, representing both this city
ana the county aboard. The
train was in charge Of Conductor
/ w. S. Crawford and Engineer
Wade Lynch and it was placard
ed with appropriate banners.
On one coach was a Tremendous
rooster Growing while on the
other coaches was "COlum bus
Vardaman Club" in large letters.
The run to West Point was made
without incident and here the
people were made aware of the
approach of the Vardaman shout
ers by the cheering and salutes
given the various steam plants of
West Point by Engineer Lynch
at the throttle. Delegations
were picked up at Eupora, Ma
ben, Winona and Carrollton and
when Greenwood was reached
the train was crowded.
Here the crowd disembarked
and forming in parade was es-
corted to the opera house. When
the assembly was seated Master
Arden Ackert was escorted to
the stage by Mr.. Walter Weaver
and in the sweetest and purest
voice sang a little song ending
up with the name "Vardaman,
which was the signal of such an
ovation as has seldom been seen.
Major Vardaman came forward
and made a splendid and telling
speech. Flushed with the en-
thusiasm of victory he swept the
stage with the splendor Of his
personality and his oratory.
He began by saying that the
message which old Lowndes had
sent him could not have been
told in a sweeter way than was
done by that lovely boy and the
memory of the kindness of the
people of Columbus and this
county to him had rendered him
profoundly grateful. He said
that the victory recently won
was not due to him but it was to
principles he represented and
that if he could but carry out
these principles which he be-
lieved were for the preservation
of our institutions, our society
and our government, the cup
of his ambition would be filed
to overfowing. He renewed the
statement that he went into Office
untrammeled with single
promise and he said that he
would not use the office of Gov
ernor to reward a friend or pun
ish an enemy at the expense of
the public service. He said he
expected to be Governor of Mis-
sissippl, statement which was
greeted with resounding cheers.
Major Vardaman spoke at
some length along this line
and he was the recipient of ova-
ton after ovation as the telling
and forcible and beautiful pas
sages of his speech were de-
livered
When he had concluded there
were loud calls for Lieut.. Gov
ernor Harrison and Judge Har-
rison took the stand. He told of
the campaign in Lowndes county
and why he had espoused the
cause of Major Vardaman and he
paid glowing tribute to the
nominee after which Congress-
man Shed Hill was called for
and responded in a short speech.
An adjournment was then taken
and an informal reception was
held in which every man present
had the pleasure of meeting
Major Vardaman again. Re-
freshments followed and after
dinner Greenwood was turned
over to the visitors who took the
town. 1t was late in the after
noon when the return trip was
undertaken and Mr.. Vardaman,
Congressman Hill. Mr.. Will S.
Barry and others from Green
wood accompanied the party as
far east as Winona.
The reception given TO the visi-
tors by the people of Greenwood
was certainly hospitable and
every provision was made for