Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1903-04-15
M. vARpAmAN's sPEEoH.


ence we have ever seen assembled
in OkOlOna, received Major james
X. Vardaman with a burst Of en-
thusiasm on Tuesday night which
might truthiully be called an ova-
ton. As the announcement Of
the distinguished gentleman's
coming only proceeded him a few
hours, the audience was mostly
from the city, but it was sufficient
to fill every available space in the
large court room, and the stand
ing room sign was visible by the
time the speaker was introduced
amid a round of applause which
indicated most emphatically that
the scholarly candidate for Cover
nor is not required to look to the
country people alone for his most
ardent supporters. Col. James
Gordon introduced the LefOre
son in a very fattering and well
chosen synopsis of his qualities Of
worth and high attachments as a
citizen, soldier and statesman,
and when the next Governor arose
to acknowledge the appreciative
reception accorded him, that vast
audience showed plainly its pride
in the man as we'll as its admira-
ton in the assurance that such a
towering son of Mississippi was
to be insugurated as the next
chief executive of the state.
AS an orator it is doubtful il
Major Vardeman has an equal liv-
ing today in the state; he certainly
has not a superior, and he must
rank among the brightest and
most illustrious this common
wealth has ever produced. From
the FIRST sound Of his voice to the
closing sentence Of his mastery
speech, covering two hours and q
quarter, every one present eVinced
the most respectful interest. There
may have been those present who
have felt a personal preference for
some other candidate, but it was
manilestly certain that not one
present had any misgivings in the
reflection that when elected they
would be inspired with the
assurance that no more capable,
worthy, conscientious and clean
man could be desired, than he
who stood before them on this &C.
casien.
The eloquent speaker stepped
at once with his audience upon
the ship of state and informed
them Of the relations between can
didate and voter, emphasizing the
position that of the two the latter
was by far the most important.
He said that a government is
as good as the people, and could
be no better, for since the govern
ment could only derive it's power
from the governed, it was simply a
problem that in proportion to the
interest manifested by the voter
the government would be good or
bad, and that if the voter was der
elicit of duty he could not consist
antly complain of the same fault
afterWard found in the official.
Not one word or disparaging
reflection escaped the lips of the
speaker in reference to either OF
the gentlemen contesting with him
or the important position OF Gov.
ernOr Of Mississippi, nor did he
as some expected he would, refer
to the influences which have been
brought to beat in support Of some
Of the candidates by an element Of
political manipulatOrs in the state
whose purposes are well known to
the public IS desiring above
everything else the staying OF the
tidal wave which ~ioretells the
triumphant election Of Vardaman.
Rather, he preferred to discuss
with his hearers the questions in
which every Mississippian must
either now or in the near future