The leader., 1905-05-20
New Facts and
Estimates Regard
ing an Interesting
and Mech Misun-
derstood Political
Figure.
Popular view Of the oovernor.

FOUNDER of the doctrine that ad-
vanced education is useless for the
negro. President Theodore Roosevelt
is we'll known to entertain ideas quite
the opposite. Governor Vardaman is
best known in the North in a cheap,
unjust and erroneous belief-as a man
whose distinguishing characteristic
is hatred of Theodore Roosevelt.
All of these ideas. as most popular
ideas, are no more than half true, but
they serve to bring us to a fact not
hitherto mentioned and perhaps not
noticed. These two men resemble no
one else in the world SO much as they
do each other!
The two men themselves have new
er discovered their resemblance, and
the suggestion may not be welcome to
either, yet the resemblance is there,
and is difficult to escape under anal
ysis.
The two men are both strong men,.
both impulsive, both altogether 1nde-
pendent of the ways and ideas OF 9TH
ers. Each does his own thinking.
Each is courageous, each robust, yir-
lie, full of red-blooded animal vigor.
Each is just this side of eccentricity
in the unbridled characteristics OF his
individuality. Each is outspoken,
ready to declare an opinion when once
it is formed. Each is sturdy, insistent,
stubborn, if you like, in regard to an
opinion once formed and expressed.
Each is man of the intensest convic-
tion and determination.
Comparison Of Two Characters.
Physically these two men are much
alike in build and stature, each being
strong, sturdy, thick-necked, ruddy-
faced, straight of eye. They are both
horseman, both fighting men. both
students. They are both kindly, gen
erous, frank, hospitable. They are
both grand lovers and splendid haters.
Each man has good-sized family,
each has a sweet and gentle home
life. Each is loved and hated of many.
each is much misunderstood. Lastly,
each had hand in our justly cele-
brated war with Spain, and each at
tanned political preferment after his
participation in that justly celebrat-
ed war.
Thrown together in any position of
possible rivalry, Roosevelt and Var
daman would be rivals. 1t is in their
stars. In the same regiment they
would be rivals for the colonelcy In
the chase they would be rivals for the
first spear. Natural leaders naturally
contend, and naturally dislike a d.
vided authority. But. after contest
of a campaign of any sort in which
each has had a chance to show his
own mettle-thrown together on any
proper personal basis-these two men
would, in all likelihood. become fast
friends, in friendship which could
not be shaken. Rivalry apart. each
would see something in the other that
he would like. not recognizing him
self! There are not two bigger, wider
hearted Americans in all the country.
Which would follow the flag the far
ther or defend it the more stoutly,
would always be a question. Each
has risked his life for the flag.
At this point resemblances cease.
The two men came out of different
conditions Theodore Roosevelt was
born in the middle of the ladder of
success, and had not far to go, even
had he been possessed of anything
but the Roosevelt luck, of which the
world has shown no precise parallel.
All his steps have counted-he has
seen to it that they did count. The
printed page has been great friend
of his. and has given him a national
reputation.
With Vardaman the opposite of this
is true He has had bad luck allhis life
in personal matters When Roosevelt
was getting ready for the legislature,
Vardaman was working in the fields
of Mississippi and learning in prac-
tical fashion, by the way, what Roose-
welt has never learned in any but
theoretical fashion the actual char
acter of the American negro.
vardaman a Newspaper Man.
Vardaman was newspaper man,
but the printed page, in general, has
never helped him. For every step
forward in his life he has slipped back
half pace, only to come back again
and again, steadfastly, in spite of
handicaps of fortune. His ancestors
were many of them preachers, half a
century ago, whole century ago,
in the State of Kentucky and other
parts Of the South. vardaman's s
father met with business reverses
early in the sons life, and the latter
was obliged to shift for himself.
Later in his life he met with few
reverses on his own account. He
went into his Office as governor ow-
ing debts which he is paying OF
even now. Life has been a contin-
uous fight with him. He has, in
deed, led the strenuous life Of which
Theodore Roosevelt writes, and
knows what actual combat with the
world may signify. The world for
him has always been strenuous, and
he has taken for granted that it is so
for others (which is pretty nearly the
truth. after all.
It is easy to see that. ali his life,
James K Vardaman has had oppor-
tunity to study and learn the Ameri-
can negro, and that this opportunity
Theodore Roosevelt has never had.
Is it any wonder that two men
constituted just as these two are
should disagree upon this particular
subject? Their disagreement is q
matter Of national knowledge: and,
ais stated above. It has been the cause
Of notorlety not wholly Just to the
Southerner.