The sea coast echo. [volume] (Bay Saint Louis, Miss.) 1892-current, 1909-02-13
THE BATTLEsHIP SERVICE.
From Gov. Vardaman's Paper, The
Issue:

ters in the columns of my paper is
always distasteful. But, as a great
deal has been said about this matter
| in the public press, few words
from me may not be out of place.
During my administration as gov
ernor, | undertook, with my staff
and other friends to raise funds with
which to purchase silver service
for the battleship Mississippi.
The Times-Democrat, of New Or.
leans, raised $1,000, my staff, togeth-
er with other contributors placed in
my hands, s1704.S0.
I am advised that the amount col
lected by the Times-Democrat was
turned over to Mrs. Lockwood, the
| lady who was employed by the com
mission to solicit contributions for
this fund
Sometime since, Governor Noel and
Mr.. Rowland had a meeting and
adopted resolutions fdirecting that
! all money be placed to the credit
of the commission" l was informed
of this action by the aforesaid Mrs.
Lockwood.
| | notified Mrs. Lockwood that |
had the money and would use it for
the purpose for which it was placed
| in my hands, but | would not put it
| to the credit of the commission.
| 1t is a well-knoWn fact that my
relations with those gentlemen are
not cordial; indeed, their hatred for
! me is quite as strong as my con-
| tempt for them, and | am not willing
| to permit them to execute any trust
committed to me.
At the meeting of the commission
| of the 9th of January l notified Gov.
| ernor Noel and Mr.. Rowland that
| had the money and proposed to keep
| it until | was given an opportunity to
| pay it to the person or firm who fur
nished the silver service. They, Of
course, objected. After that item of
| business was transacted, the COM
| mission entered upon the matter of
opening bids and examining plans for
the silver service.
Four bidders were present Three
Mississippi jewelers. and one retail
jeweler from Philadelphia, Pennsyl-
vania
Governor Noel, Mr.. Rowland and
Mrs. Lockwood seemed determined
from outset to force the acceptance
of the proposition of the gentleman
from Philadelphia. On the first bal
lot | voted for the plans presented by
Lehman e Sons, of Natchez. Mr..
Powers voted for Major Carl Seutter,
Messrs Noel and Rowland, for the
Philadelphia concern. On the sec
ond or third ballot l Joined Mr.
Powers for Major Seutter
Mr.. Powers and | are very much in
favor of giving this contract to a
Mississippi jeweler, everything being
equal, and by that | propose to stand
We were unable to make a selec
| ton that day, and We adjourned to
| meet the following day. We met
| the votes s.oOd two to two. Noel
retail establishment of Philadelphia,
| for a Mississippi firm.
| An adjournment was taken until
| last Monday at eleven O'Clock,
After the meeting was called to
order by Governor Noel, Mr.. Rowland
! arose, with some ready-made resolu-
| tions, one of which stated in sub
stance, q" that because of my failure
| to deposit to the credit of the COM
mission the money in my hands, that
the commission thought it unwise to
| let the COllIl act, SIC lie OluSI
| resolution called for an opinion of
| the attorney general as to what dis
position | should make of the money
in my hands.
| have not heard from the attor-
ney general yet And if he has a
| decent regard for the propriety of
his office, he will not permit Noel
and Rowland to make a fool of him
and give an opinion upon the matter,
of which he has no official connec-
ton. However this is his affair and
| not mine
nen the first resolution was of
fered l arose and stated that the
statement made in the resolution was
not the real reason for its introduc-
| ton, and it was therefore false. To
| which Mr.. Rowland replied with en-
phasis, Il know they are"
The resolution proposing to post
pone the purchase Of the silver serv-
| ice was defeated. The one asking for
the attorney generals opinion was
adopted by Governor Noel and Mr..
Rowland voting for it and Mr.Powers
against. l did not vote. No effort
| was made whatever, at this meeting
to select the service. But on motion
| of Mr.. Rowland, the meeting ad-
| journed.
| The scheme and purpose of Messrs
| Noel and Rowland's action in this
matter is too manifest to need char
acteriZation by me. If they had sue
ceeded in landing their contract for
the retail jeweler of Philadelphia, Pa.
nothing further would probably have
been said about depositing the money
to the credit of the commission.
But falling to carry out their scheme
| they embraced the opportunity pre-
sented to give vent to their venom.
Now, all l have to say about this
matter is, | have the money in my
kands-s1.04S0 and l am going to
use it as it was placed in my hands
to be used And whatever Messrs.
attorney general may construe, |
am going to carry out the determ1na-
ton already expresse
| feel about this matter as an old
gentleman who was once elected to
the legislature of Mississippi felt
when he was requested by his polit-
ical enemies to resign his seat for
doing something which displeased
them They exercised the American
right of petition. And he considered
the petition with great care. After
reading it over he sat down and ad
dressed this note:
"My soul Quenched, Hate Embitteret
Fellow Countrymen:
/ have received your petition and
considered it carefully. And In reply
will say, that | would resign my sea-