The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1907-04-18
Hon. John Sharp Williams Replies to Governor vardaman


WASHINGTON, Feb. 11.-Hon. John
Sharp Williams, of Mississippi, has
given out reply to the latest interview
of Gov. Vardaman, in which that of
fetal criticised his views and positions
on leading public questions, as expressed
in Mr.. Williams letter to the New York
Press, and to other newspapers and also
his views as outlined in his "Walthall
speech"
Replying to the question, if he had
read the Governors latest interview and
attack upon him, Mr. Williams replied
as follows:
Yes, it was handed to me some days
after it was published Some of my
friends here and in Mississippi, perhaps,
also, have been looking for reply. I
have delayed making it, because / have
hesitated about the wisdom of it owing
to the rather personal nature of Gov.
Vardaman's interview and my lack of
desire to be engaged in an unseemly
newspaper controversy. However, | ex-
pect it would be better for me to no.
tice it, but to notice it only in way
that would give no excuse for further
personalities.
"The Governors reference to my
News Bureau was rather amusing, in
view of the fact that probably not two
weeks have passed since he became Gov
ernor of Mississippi that he has not
had an interview of some sort in the
Memphis or New Orleans papers.
"What / said in my letter denying the
false statement published in the New
York Press, that | was engaged in any
movement against Mr.. Bryan but set
ting forth my opposition to government
ownership of railroads was cool, unim-
FASHIONED and totally impersonal discus
sion Of that public issue. My interview
was an equally impersonal discussion of
Governor Vardaman's criticism of that
letter, in hs first interview, and was
also incidentally criticism of the Gov
ernor's formerly expressed views on the
same subject. did not discuss Gov
ernor Vardaman.
81 could not have been more aston
ished by clap of thunder out of a
clear sky than by his last interview, in
which he hardly refers in any serious
or logical way to that, or to any other
public question at issue, but discusses
me and my horrible characteristics as
they seemed pictured in the jaundiced
mind of an opposing candidate, and es-
pecially of my supposed 'egotism.'
81 have been long time aware of the
fact that the most prevalent and con-
tagious and dangerous disease amongst
offceholders is that which is described
in the popular slang of the day as the
big head I have tried to avoid catch
ing it, and hoped, until the Governor
assured me of the contrary, that l had
succeeded. The only instance to which
he points, as supporting his contention
upon that particular and rather personal
subject, is that had said that would
certainly have a great deal more in
fuence in Washington if the opportun-
ity presented itself, to do anything prac-
teal towards the repeal of the Fifteenth
Amendment than any new man-that is,
new to Washington public life, it's men,
its methods, and so forth.
ct would be curious, indeed, if, with
my long service here, | could not exer-
else greater influence in the Senate to-
wards obtaining that, or any other, de-
sired result, if the opportunity presented
itself to obtain it at all, than one who
is not only perfectly new to the envi-
ronment and to the character of the
work and the men to be influenced to get
it done, but one who possesses tenn
permanent, as his interview among other
things demonstrates, uplifting him to
the task. For example, | read senten-
ces like the following in his late inter
view, in reply to my modest and imper-
sonal and, as l hope, thoroughly honest
expression of opinion upon a great pub
lie question. In one place he accuses
me of being deliberately and with
malice aforethought disingeneous and
unfair That is charge that requires
no denial from me. Ny entire public
life gives it denial.
/ have gone back over the correspond
ence-what | said and what the Gov
ernor said-and I cannot for the life of
me, find where / have in any manner
misrepresented the spirit of his position.
It is perhaps lucky for mankind that
unprovokedly calling people names does
not accomplish anything, except to re-
act on the man who undertakes it. In
another place he says that | admit that
I know it ALL In another place he
accuses me of shameful perversion and
dishonest use of my logical faculty. In
another place he says that I confess that
/ have a corner on all information In
another place he repeats that Mr.. Will
Hams modestly confesses that he knows
everything In still another place, he
referred to my knowing everything else
on the earth In another place he re-
ferred to my speeches in Congress as
being full of erudite irrelevancies and
learned non essentials, water soaked
with words and ornamented by self-ad-
ulation.' In another place he says he
will make the campaign as though Mr..
WlllidIuS were HOC IuililiiS. LII duOcIicI
place he says that my quotation of Mr..
Bryan to the effect that he honored
more the man who honestly differed with
him than he did a mere trailer behind
him is 'demagogic appeal to the gal
leries' This is hard on my friend
Bryan, as it was a quotation from him.
In another place he accuses me of a
secret, hidden purpose of handicapping
Mr.. Bryan, because / say that | will