The leader., 1903-01-07
GOy.-ELECT VARDAMAN TALKS.
Will be Governor, but Will Not Try to
Usurp Legislative Functions.
Some Current Reports Corrected.
Greenwood Commonwealth |

The Legislature meets at Jack
son next Tuesday, and the matter
of most interest seems to be the
election of a Speaker of the House
of Representatives.
Knowing that at leas two
of the candidates for Speaker
were personal and political friends
of Governor reject Vardaman,
reporter called on him today to
ascertain what part, if any, he
expected to play in the organiza
ton of the Legislature.
When asked about the matter
the Governor reptile d very
promptly:
Il shall have nothing whatever
to do with the organization of the
Legislature. Every member of
both houses is Democrat, elect
ed by the white men of Missis-
sippi, and just as capable of un-
derstanding his duty as | am to
tell him, and while. | should like
for my personal and partisan
friends to get what they want, my
sense of official propriety revolts
at the Governor essaying the roll
of boss and trying to dominate
the legislative department of the
State Government. | shall be
most happy and content if l shall
be able to perform properly the
functions of the office to which
the people of Mississippi have
elected me, without interfering
with coordinate branch. To
use the language of my good
friend, John Allen, Il want to see
the parity between the Legislative
and executive branches of the
government restored | am
going to try to be the Governor
of the whole people-and, if you
will permit me to add, the whole
Governor. | shall assume and
perform without trepidation, hest
tation or evasion the duties of Of
flee and | shall suffer no inter
ference from outside influences,
and to be consistent | must not be
guilty of that which | would not
permit in others"
"What about all this talk,
Governor, that you would use
the weight of your official in
illuence to prevent the confirma
ton of certain judges who, it is
said, secured their appointments
by questionable political deals,
asked your correspondent.
"'There is no truth in such talk.
To use a popular vulgarism, that
matter is cup to the Senate. -"
The Governor has nothing to do
with it | have heard something
of the political deals of which
you speak, but of my own knowl-
edge, | do not know anything. l
am sure, however, that when the
matter comes up for considera-
ton by the Senate, all of these
rumors will be investigated and
that no man who savors of moral
obllquity, personal, political or
official dishonesty, will receive
the stamp of the Scnate's APP
proval. Mississippi's judiciary
in the past has been her choicest
pride, and she cannot. and, | am
sure, the Senate will not, permit
the standard to be lowered. "
81 hope you do not look for
any friction between the legisIa-
tive and the executive depart
ments of the government ven
tured the reporter. "Not h
least bit" replied the Governor.
| know personally nearly every
member of the Legislature and am
cheered with the hope that we are
to have most harmonious, pru-
dent and useful session. Some of
the best men in the State will sit
in this Legislature"
Governorclect Vardaman will
move his family to jackson as
soon as Governor Longino va
Gates the mansion.