The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1907-07-04
Mr.. WILLIAMS SPEECH.

pointment in Brandon last week.
He was greeted by large and repre-
sentative Rankin audience, and
though he spoke fully two hours and
half he was heard with close atten.
tion from the first to the last word Of
his address. He said at the outset
that he would attempt no oratorical
flights but would confine himself to q
plain and practical discussion OF the
questions upon which he and his op-
ponent differed in the pending canvass,
and it must be admitted that he kept
his word. Mr.. Williams pays his
hearers the compliment Of dealing
with them as serious and thoughtful
people, and he has the art of making
himself understood no matter what
may be the nature Of the subject he
has in hand. 1t should be said further
that he makes no appeal to passion or
to prejudice. In his speech here the
other day he dealt exclusively with
two topics: CD Governor Vardaman's
undertaking to 'agitate' in the
United States Senate for the modifica-
tion of the 14th amendment and the
repeal of the 10Th amendment; (2) Gov
eminent ownership Of the railroads.
In regard to the second Of these ques-
tions Governor Vardaman had occu-
pied at different times, different and
inconsistent positions, and Mr.. Williams
expressed shrewd and suspicion that
his excellency had taken iG up under
the impression that the advocacy Of
Government ownership would prove a
"vote-getter, but on discovering
his mistake had shown himself more
than willing to drop it as an issue in the
canvass. The Governor had certainly
said, however, that Mr.. Bryan was
years ahead Of his party on that ques-
ton, and must be understood as
having meant that Mr.. Bryan was
right and his party was wrong in
regard to that matter. Mr.. Williams
explained that he had declared his
own opposition to Government owner
ship in response to inquiries which
came to him from every quarter-ln-
qulres SO numerous and so direct that
he could not avoid the responsibility
of declaring his views on that subject
in plain and explicit terms. The
assumption of the ownership of
the railroads by the Government
of the United States would involve
frightful calamities. In the first
| place, to add to the list of public SER
wants appointed by the president the
great army Of railroad employees in
this country would be to convert the
general government into a centralized
despotism. 1t had been said in reply
to that criticism that all railroad
positions would be placed under the
civil service rules, SO that arbitrary
appointments and removals could not
be made in the interest of any politi-
cal party, or of any administration !;
but Southern Democrats should reflect
that resort to that expedient would
render it probable that many railroad
officials on southern roads as
we'll as on others-ticket-se sellers,
conductors, would be negroes
and, moreover, the practice of provid-
ing separate coaches for negroes might
be abolished under a Government
owning and managing the roads,
Touching the question of amending
the constitution of the United States
with view to the disfranchisement OF
the negro race in this country, Mr..
Williams asserted with the emphasis
of profound conviction that nothing
whatever is to be gained by agitating
that question In the Senate at the
present time. The Senate is controll.
ed by a Republican majority, alto
gether opposed to the disfranchise.
ment OF the negroes. Even Demo
cratic Senators from the Northern
States would refuse to support any
proposition to disfranchise the negroes.
And no amendment to the Constitu.
tion can be proposed by Congress
to the states without the concur
ence of tWo-thirds of both houses.
The Republicans regard the amend
ments in question rs embodying in
part the result Of the Civil War, and
they are not prepared to confess that
they have been in error. It would
be worse than useless to ask them 50
do so. Governor Vardaman has prom.
ised the people Of Mississippi that in
the event Of his election to the senate
he will never address that body with.
out urging the repeal Of the objection
| able amendments, but Mr. Williams
remarked that the Governor will
only make himself ridiculous il
he keeps bis word. It has
been in the governors power
however, to begin the agitation in .
more practical way. For = state AZ