The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-12-07
HE STRIKES BACK
Vardaman Hits at Editors
Who Roast Him and at
Roosevelt.
lRy The Associated Press

Memphis, Tenn, Dec. 5.-The Com
mercial Appeal tomorrow will publish
Ia letter received from Jackson. Miss.
i'm which Governor Vardaman declines
TO be permanent chairman of the Boil
sveevIi Convention at Shreveport. The
letter was given to-day by the Gov
ernor's secretary. 1t follows in part:
Jackson, MISS, Dec. 1909.
Hon j. G. Pugh chairman. Exec
utive Committee, National Cotton Con-
ventfon, Shreveport, La.
My Dear Sir:-On my return to
jackson last evening ! was shown q
number of clippings from two or three
newspapers published at Shreveport
La, protesting in the most scuwilous
terms against the proposition to have
me serve as permanent chairman OF
the National Cotton Convention TO be
neld in that city on the 18th to 10Th
instant.
LAS you are aware that the invita-
ton came to me unsolicited. you cam
doubtless imagine my great surprise
al this editional outburst.
81 think it best for me to decline the
honor and to leave the convention
free to name for it's presiding officer
whomsoever it may see fit.
THE question Of the Craftsmanship
being settled, | cannot refrain from
growing tendency with our people,
which l fear may soon become a
characteristics and which to me is
more to be deplored than the boil
Weevil, or any other enemy to our ma
terial interest. l discuss the DISPOSE
ton to surrender the imperial right
of a free born white American citizen
to express his honest thoughts-the
disposition to barter their manhood
ana sell their independence for a mess
of pottage of material prosperity or
political place.
"One of the strong CD arguments
made by an editor of your city against
permitting Governor Vardaman to
serve as chairman of the convention
was based upon the fact that Governor
Vardaman has incurred the diSDleaS-
ure of the present President of the
United States who would regard a
courtesy TO Governor Vardaman as a
discOurtesy TO him. and for which dis
courtesy to him he would With de
light punish all cotton growers of the
South by Withholding Federal aid from
their effort to stamp out the boil Wee
vii or head it off from its devastating
march to the North Pole. / hope the
President of the United States is not
a bad man as conduct of that charac-
ter would stamp him But / am NOT
sure of it. You can no more tell by
T.. l.
day what he Will do tomorrow thar.
you can tell the character of the per-
son buried beneath the stone by the
epitaph engraved on the stone. The
people of the South are indeed in de-
plorable condition. if, in the life of
this republic it has come TO pass that
in order TO enjoy the privileges of cit
izenShip and exercise their rights un-
der the Constitution, they must kiss
the hand that smites them. must APP
plaud the tongue that malignS them
and glorifY the contemplate creature
who would break down their institu-
TONS dishonor the traditions which
distinguish their civilization and IN
either ignorance or malice place their
affairs on a par with the disorganized
and discredited republic of Haiti.
I'm 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 re-
public, / as a 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 fit to malign Jefferson
Davis and with brutal discOurtesy re-
fused to correct a falsehood written
about him, after Mrs. Davis had call
ed his attention to it, who has insulted
the Southern PEOPLE, violated the laws
for the purpose of humiliating Missis-
sippi particularly. / have no more re-
spect for him though he be President.
+! than / had for this same little individ-
ual when he was pursuing his most
becoming avocation-breaking bron-
! chos on Western ranch