New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-08-03
NO Pc. NAMED VARD4MAN
Governors Foul article the Reason,
lfr. Paine Announces
trRoM TIE TRIBUNE BuREAu.l


Washington. Aug. 2.--No postofflce IN the State
Of Mississippi or elsewhere under the jurisdiction
of the United States will bear the name OF
vardanan so long as honorable. self-respectins
men, who resent cowardly assault upon the
memory of a mother, administer the affairs or
the government. The Postof1ce Department de-
clines thus to honor a man who was Responsible
for the publication OF a grossly indecent article
rejecting on the mother of the President POST
master General Payne to-day issued the follow
ing statement, which explains the position taken
by the department in its refusal TO name a MIS-
sissippi .postoffice after Governor Vardaman OF
that State:
n, Nav e 1904 a petition was filed with the
department asking for the establishment OF
T,ostoffice at a certain point in Calhoun County
in the State Of Mississippi. and requesting tn9I
IL be named VaTdaman. -
Imrnediatelv the usual investigation made by
the department as 10 the necessity Tor tne eS-
tablishment of the office was undertaKeI, =, III
ing the inquiry a copy Of The Daily CLARION
ledger" newspaper published at Jackson.
Mich dated August -, 1903, was nled Win
the department containing article TO which
tbe denartment's attention was called This
article was a copy Of an editorial printed IN
The Commonwealth" under date or January
TO- 1908. which paper IS published ana ea tier
by Governor Vardsman. The article In question
was so vile and indecent in its statements coh-
corning the mother of the President OF the
United States as be UNIT for reproduction
The Postmaster General did not esteem II proper
TO give a postofice the name or any man VINO
had used such language regarding any woman
The postoffiCe in question has been ordered es
tablished and named Tinbervtle-
In exercising the discretion given him oy law
the Postmaster General frequently rejects names
suggested for proposed postoffces. He has never
been clearer as 10 his duty than In this case
II Is proper 10 say that President Roosevelt had
no knowledge OF the incident referred 70.
Many prominent Mississippi Democrats deeply
resented Governor vardamsn's method Of at
tack. and openly expressed their disgust for
and reputation Of what they called his sour
rilous yulgarity This view OF the editorial and
the man who wrote ii was generally entertained
rv all who had an opportunity to read II.
To strengthen the protest against giving the
name Of vardarnan to the postoffice. reputable
citizens Of that community forwarded a copy
Of the attack to the Washington officials To
this WAS attached an affidavit signed by A B.
Annis. c. c. Dunn and nineteen others. attestins
10 its accuracy and declaring that the original
newspaper containing the article can De seen at
tbo once of the chairman OF the Lauterdale
County Club
Reputable Democrats in Washington who are
Informed as TO the actual situation deprecate
the attempt on the part OF their southern party
associates 10 manufacture campaign material
ont Of the declination Of the Postofnce Depart
,nent 10 honor man Of Vardaman's caltbre.
They regard II as a mistake. and openly express
tha hone that Southern Democrats Will no
longer place the party in the attitude or ap-
proving the foul attack of the Governor o.
Mississippi.