Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1904-12-07
GOV. VARDAMAN DECLINES.

fishes is a letter received from Jackson,
Miss, in which Gov. Vardaman declines
to be permanent chairman Of the boli
weevil convention at Shreveport. The
letter was given out yesterday by the Gov
eruor's secretary. 1t follows in part:
jackson, Miss, Dec. 4, 1904.
"Hon. +. c.. Pugh, Chairman execu-
tive committee, National Cotton
Convention, Shreveport, La.
"My dear Sir On my return to
Jackson last evening | was shown
number of clippings from two or three
newspapers published at Shreveport,
La, protesting in the most scurrllous
terms against the proposition to have
me serve as permanent chairman OF the
National Cotton Convention in that city
on the 18th to 10th instant.
GAS you are aware that the invitation
to serve as chairman came to me unso-
licited, you can doubtless imagine my
great surprise at this editorial out
burst.
'1 think it best TOR me to decline the
honor and to leave the convention Tree
to name for its presiding officer whom
s0ever it may see fit.
The people of the south are indeed In
deplorable condition, if, in the life
Of this republic, it has come to pass
that in order to enjoy the privileges OF
citizenship and exercise their rights uE-
der the constitution they must kiss the
hand that smites them, must applaud
the tongue that maligns them and
glorify the contemptible creature who
would break down their institutions,
dishonor their traditions which distin-
guish their civilization and in either
ignorance or malice place ;heir affairs
on par with the disorganized and
discredited republic of Hayti.
''In the performance Of the functions
of his office as President standing as
the embodiment of the majesty and
power OF the laws of this great republic,
/, as citizen thereof, am as loyal to
Theodore Roosevelt as any man who
lives beneath the stars and stripes. But
for the little individual who has seen tit
to malign a falsehood written about him,
after nrs Davis had called his attention
to it; who has insuted the southern
people, violated the law for purpose OF
humliating Mississippians particularly,
have no more respect for him though
he be President, than had for this same
little individual when he was pursuing
his mos becoming avocation breaking
bronchos on a western ranch.
"The question OF the craftsmanship be-
ing settled, | cannot refrain from MOTTO
ing in this connection rapidly growing
tendency with our people, which | fear
may soon become characteristic, and
which to ME is more to be deplored that
the boil weevil or any other enemy to
our material interest. / discuss the dis
position to surrender the imperial right
of free born white American citizen to
express his honest thoughts-their dis
position to barter their manhood and sell
their independence for mess OF pottage
of material prosperity or material place.
cone of the strong G) arguments made
by an editor of your city against permit
ting Governor Vardaman to serve as
chairman of the convention" was based
upon the fact that Governor Vardaman
had incurred the displeasure of the pres
ent President OF the United States, who
would regard courtesy to Governor
Vardaman as a discourtesy to him and
Tor which discourtesy to him he will with
"de.light" punish all the cotton growers
of the South by Withholding Federal aid
from their efforts to stamp out the boil
weevil or head it off from it's devastating
march to the north pole. l hope the
President is not as bad man as conduct
of that character would stamp him. But
am not sure of it. You can no more
tell by what Mr.. Theodore Roosevelt
saws today what he will do tomorrow
than you can tell the character OF th'
person buried beneath the stone by th'
epitaph engraved Gu the stone.