Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1903-04-15

I'm c1E generally recognized as a materia
KR1a factor in the public and pOlitica
ES374ES interests Of Mississippi. He is
Ss1rSAO candidate for Governor, and n,
other aspirant for that high honor in reckoning hi
own popularity, win fail to make careful scrutiny
Of Major VRrdaman's strength. he Is physically
morally and intellectually vigorous his education
is sound, symmetrical and comprehensive. BE hal
devoted many years to careful and unpreiudiceC
investigation Of public policies, both state anC
national. The prOmptness, candOr and emphasiI
with which he announces his position on all civil
political moral and social issues evOkes from hiI
best friends sometimes Q mild criticism OF wha
seems q somewhat reckless indifference to that ia
dicOus reticence and conservative cOncealment usu
ally regarded as essential elements OF political sue
cess. Those who know him best however, ani
who understand his honest and generous impulses
fully realize that although frequently painfully can
did, he must be positive nothing. IL be were *
attempt the role Of the poltic citizen his energy
force and earnestness would fOrsake him. II h'
were to utter illydefned opinions or such ag nigh
De susceptible OF double construction or qualifca
tiOn according to the promptngs Of selfish interests
he would be much disgusted with himself that hC
would fail to command the respect OF friend or foe
Like most all men Of liberal education and higl
standard of morals, while he is swift to condemn
what he cOnceives to be wrong, he is equally ready
to make amends to his adversary for any iDiusticC
done him. and to correct any error Of Judgment OF
led. From his bOyhOOd he has been siDgularly
exempt from the designations and immOralities &
often incident to youth and early manhood; in fact
It may be questioned whether he Is entitled to al
much credit some others for abstaDing from thesC
vices for the reason that drinking, gambling aud
their COncOmitant evil associations have never
really been sources Of temptation to him. he never
drank whisky, possibly because he never wanted it
BE never gambled because he never saw any prof
or even amusement in it. he has been con
sidered by some perhaps as rather radical in hi
opposition to the whisky traffic, but he has in this
Rs in all other matters, simply acted his homes
convictions, and has never pushed his views *
extremes nor descended into personalities On The
contrary he has always manifested profound sympa
thy for the unfortunate neurOtic whose hereditary
frailties render him easy prey to alcoholic and
narcotic stimulants. He has been an earnest and
persistent advocate Of the primary election system
because he has always believed that whatever itC
imperfeCtiOns, it was less Objectionable than Other
methods He believes that the unrestrained ex
preston Of the whole people usually carries with IL
more mature Judgment and less OF individual OF
class interests than can ordinarily be found in con
ventiOns because men generally 60 to conventions
with predetermined purpose to nominate certain
parties, If possible, without much regard to popular
choice.
II Vardaman can be justly charged with having
q single hobby, it Is his vigorous and uncOmpromis
ing opposition to educating the negro at the expense
OF the white man. be is convinced "beyOnd rea
sonabe doubt" in his own mind, that generation
OF free education has not made the negro better
citizen, has not advanced him physically or NOR
ally, while it has wrought his material deteTi0ra
tiOn as q productive element, and is imposing
gTievOus burden upon the tax-paying white man
1t is amentable fact that many worthy whit,
men, who pay taxes to support negro schools ar
too poor to send their own children to free school
because they are not able to furnish books anC
clothing, and spare the labor Of their children from
the farm, the workshop and domestic duties with
out cripplng their own capacity to pay their hOnes
debts.
It may be urged that any scheme is impracticabl,
which proposes to legally relieve the white man o
this onerOus and dstasteful tax for the education
Of Idle, worthless and disreputable negroes. The
same objection was proclaimed by many able, in
telligent and patriotic men against the cOnstitu
tional convention Of 1890. The main purpose o.
the proposed convention was well understood and
was declared to be a dangerous experiment. We
warned that it could only result in disturbing
and aggTavating evils that could not be remedied
that the negroes could not be eliminated from pOlt
tics by constitutional methods. Yet Senator George
found way to do it through constitution that has
stood the test of a Republican Supreme Court
When the AnglOSax fully awakes to the inius
tce cruelty and shame paying this annual tribute
to negro insolence and aggressiveness, and makes
up his mind that he will no longer submit to it, be
viii find a way out Of 1t. Major Vardaman was
born in Jackson county, Texas, July 26, 1861, bis
parents having moved there from Holmes county,
Miss. in 1868. In the fall Of 1868 he returned with
his parents to Yallobusha county, Miss, where he
lived and worked on his fathers farm till 1882
when be went to CaFrOltOn to read law. He secured