Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1907-07-06
The Great Debate.

After the smoke Of the battle has
cleared away the most sensational
features Of theatfai seems to have been
the Governors taking the studs for a
while, and the great number of people
that were present to hear the speakers.
The Vardaman forces were there in
nun bers and were thoroughly organized
and very much in evidence, The vii
Hams men were quieter and morgan
lied, but probably the more numerous.
Certainly they We're the most earnest
listeners and seemed to have come to
hear the debate and not solely to clack
for favorite,
AS for the speeches. as reported in
the Commercial Appeal, both were
good and neither new. Most of the
points made by both speakers,had been
made by them before, and if newly
dressed out, the rather dull report
in the Commercial Appeal did note
it. In fact that paper made the
whole affair very tame and prosy, and
very different from reports brought
back by Macon people of both parties
According to them the affair was full
of spirit and the audience stirred from
beginning to end
As Mississippians we may all be glad
that no discourtesy was shown either
of the two prominent Mississippians by
the other or by the audience, and that
on an occasion that had attracted the
nations attention everything passed Off
so well and so creditably to the state
and its citizens,
AS to the result Of the debate we
think it has been shown more clearly
than ever before how chimercal
is the hope Mr.. Vardaman holds out
to the people of Mississippi, and how
poorly fitted he is to accomplish the re
suit even We're it now practical From
the time when he tried to back out Of
the debate yesterday morning own to
the end of his rejomder, he showed
that not the fttest place for him was
the greatest chamber of debate in the
world the Senate of the United States,
The following expert opinion of the
Meridian debate will prove interesting.
In an interview with the editor Of the
Clarion-Ledger, Mr. Frederick Palmer.
the great war correspondent, who was
sent to Meridian by Golfers Weekly
expressly for the purpose of sizing up
the political situation in Mississippi.
said:
You could not bring together more
thoroughly American audience any
where, A New Yorker was impressed
with the fact that everyone present was
born and not a naturalized citizen; all
came from the old pioneer stock. The
good order, considering how high the
feeling on both sides runs, was remark
able | saw no one drunk except a few
men with Van daman badges. who prob
ably had taken a few drinks too many.
thinking their lung power might give
out.
Il was disappointed in the Governor.
The five hours speaking was scarcely a
debate. All the debating was done by
Mr.. Williams. The Governor is a Won
derful actor, and a study in gesticula-
tory emotion; but he seems wholly un-
able to talk more than a minute on any
one line of thought Against such 4
master of parliamentary logic as Mr..
Williams he did not make a good enough
showing to give the debate what you
call the sporting quality. 1t was all
over in the first round
'Anyone who proposes to educate tht
North to the repeal of the 18th amend.
ment and starts out by comparing the
President Of United States to a skunk.
and says he is an umeconstructed Con-
federate who wishes he was living un-
der the stars and bars, can scarcely get
sympathetic audience. If anything
would prejudice a Northener against tn,
repeal of the 18th amendment it woult
be such wild and unnecessary appeal to
passion and crudity Of manner as The
Governor exhibits. Mr. Williams re-
jHinder was one of the finest example.
of parliamentary logic ! have eve,
heard. 1t is he with his breath of mine
and logic who makes the North see The
situation as the South does and heirs
towards the solution Of the problem