The Semi-weekly leader. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1905-1941, 1910-06-22

ADDRESSED LARGE AUDIENCE AT or
ERA HOUSE ON aTRE IMPEND.
ING CRISIS.
States Should Fix Qualifications Of YOt-
ers DenOunces Political Corfup
tlOn Eloquent Tribute to
Sentiment.

Il Gov. Vardaman. of Mississippi
had a fine audience at the Cairo
lopera house last night and although
he spoke ais a pioneer in move,
ment which is not popular in tht
north sections Of the country, hil
arguments were convincing. The
audience was as large as any thai
has ever greeted d lecturer ii
Cairo, composed Of some of Cairo
best citizenship; and it was respon.
| lsive to his eloquent and forceful
| pleas and declarations. On the
stage with the governor were
Mayor Parsons. Prof. CIendenen,
H. S. Antrim, Hon. Miles Freder-
lick Gilbert, G. 4. Keaton and Hon.
Reed Green.
Mr.. Green spoke briefly by way
of Introductory. although. he said,
he did not believe it necessary to
introduce the distinguished visitor.
who was known to the people OF
Cairo perhaps better than himself.
who had lived here all his life. He
spoke Of Cairo as a Southern city,
and its people as naturally in SYM
pathy with what concerned the
South's welfare.
Gov. Vardaman,s address was as
fine an oratorical effort as the
people of Cairo have heard. He
touched upon the corruption in
politics and referring to a remark
by Mr.. Green concerning the recent
development at Springfield in con-
nection with the United States SEN
torship, said: Mississippi at this
moment is in the shadow Of her
first scandal similar to that which
brings the blush Of shame to the
good people Of illinois. and while
I regret it more than can express
in words, she is in no position to
throw rocks at her sisteSS State. /"
THE governor was a candidate for
senator in his State and there were
bribery scandals in which his suc-
cessful opponent was said to have
been involved. He denounced
corruption In politics IN scathing
terms. declaring that the man who
would betray the people IN the pub
lie service was a greater traitor
than Benedict Arnold or Judas
Iscariot. Speaking Of the purity
of the ballot he said the man who
would sell his vote was bad. but he
who would buy votes was worse
the man who would buy the votes
of others. would sell his own if op-
portunity offered and he were
offered his price. (Applause The
only king in this country was the
man with the ballot, and the only
queen was the woman who told
him how to use it. He paid a high
tribute to sentiment as the con-
trolling influence in all great
achievements. and denounced sor-
did materialism as it manifested
itself in the pursuit Of the dollar
and the Iuxuries Of life which had
caused the downfall of the grea test
nation Of history
The speaker touched on the tar
iff, on Imperialism, the latter as
represented in the acquiring Of
colonies. notably the purchase of
ten million Of Philippine negroes
at So per head. shooting the grace
of God into them. and bringing
them into subjection to be plunder-
ed by our commercial and indus
trial mercenc-ies. He spoke also
|of prohibition, defending it as a
government policy; but the chief
part Of his address was the race
question and his demand that the
constitutional amendment giving
the negro the ballot be repealed.
He would have it left to the States
to fix the qualifications of voters.
Granting the ballot to millions Of
people who had been reared in
slavery had been the crime Of the
age. never committed by any other
nation. He described the condi-
tions IN the South. the relations
between the races. which were
different from what they were
during slavery times when they
were mutually cordial, and often
laffectionate. The South was now
disfranchislng the negro under
Isubterfuge but he wanted Il done
lopenIy and honestly
The speaker was frequently ap-
plauded and he had ample reason
I'd feel that he had an approving
audience for the most part.
| Coy. Vafdamans s presence in
Cairo was due to The efforts Of Mr
lg. L. Keaton, who had heard him
at Hot Springs and was SO strongly
impressed with him All his lectures
there that he determined 10 have
lhim speak in Cairo The Cairo
| lIll Bulletin.