The Semi-weekly leader. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1905-1941, 1907-09-21

WON oS SHO Sio5AuS PaAoSA ph ~
an editorial in.the Lincoln County
! Times on the pardon of the LIN
coin County white caps the Satur.
day previous:
/ A specially unfortunate coinci.
dence is in this connection. The
rumor freely circulated for
months before the late election
that this pardon would be granted
|if Lincoln County rolled up 8
good majority for the Governor.
His strongest opponents refused
to believe that any promise OF
hint of a promise had been given.
1t is unfortunate for the high es-
TEEN in which the Governor of a
great state should be held that this
pardon was not issued before the
election. 1t would then have for
ever quenched the unspoken
thought which accompanied the
Iquestion so often asked by white
cap sympathizers and opponents
alike: do you reckon the Gov
ernor will pardon them boys if be
is elected 2"
This bold insinuation or innuen-
do that the Lincoln County white
caps were pardoned by Gov. Var
daman for a consideration person
al to himself, is but continua-
tion of some of the slanderous
and unworthy methods which
characterized the opposition to
him here in BrookhaYen during
the late campaign, and doubtless
/ had its inspiration from the same
source. Some people are so mer-
cenary, self-seeking and grasping,
about the first thing that suggests
itself to them in connection with
any given action is the idea OF
merchandise or the Almighty
Dollar. The Governor was cloth
ed with the pardoning power; the
friends and relatives of the white
caps had votes; the Governor
wanted votes to get elected United
Estates Senator; therefore, it was
the most sensible thing in the
world, these mercenary people
reason, judging the Governor by
their own low, mereenary stand
ard, to swap pardons for votes,
regardless of the principle involv,
ed.
1T is unfortunate for the high
esteem in which the Governor of
La great State should be held,
that this pardon was net issued
before the election walls the
Times, with poorly simulated pa.
triotism. 1T would then," il
continues, 'have forever quench-
ed the unspoken thought which
accompanied the question so often
asked by white cap sympathizers
and opponents alike: do you
reckon the Governor will pardon
them boys if he is elected?",
This is the sheerest hypocritical
cant. The Times writer knows
perfectly well that if Governor
Vardaman had issued a pardon tc
the white caps before the late sen.
atorial election the question which
Ihe places in the mouths of i'm
aginary persons would have only
been changed in form by Varda
mans vindictive opponents tc
this: Don't you know the Gov
ernor pardoned those white caps
just to catch votes on August
1st?o And this and like SANDER
Gus charges to the effect that a Sc.
cret deal for white cap votes hac
been made by him and the
goods delivered in advance
would have been proclaimed here
by the Governors political oppo.
nents from the house-tops.
| Moreover, if it was SO "unfor-
tunateo that the Governor did mol
issue these pardons while he was
a candidate for the Senate, and
pardons then would have forever
quenched the unspoken though
which accompanied the question, !
, ETC., why does the Times CIV,
voice to such a slanderous, anonY
! nous thought" nows
As one who knows the par
Governor Vardaman took il
breaking up the white cap organ
ization in Lincoln county and Sc
curing the conviction and sen
tence Of the pardoned men, AM
also as one who opposed the whit
caps to the uttermost. and took
! tolerably active part in aiding til,
Governor and others IN bringing
labout this result and is acquaintet
with the circumstances unde
which the pardons were granted
1.-THE editor of The Leader de
nounces all charges or insinua
} tions that Governor Yardamal
y WAS a Marty tn any trade or ofhc