The sea coast echo. [volume] (Bay Saint Louis, Miss.) 1892-current, 1910-02-19
DISGRACEFUL SPEC
TACLE.

!
and more eloquent appeal for the elec-
ton of United States Senators by the
direct vote of the people than the dis
graceful spectacle which is being enacted
night after night at Jackson, where, for
the last five or six weeks, in caucus, the
Legislature has been essaying to select
a successor to Senator McLaurin.
1t is reported from Jackson, and GER
tain evidence seems to corrob5rate the
j fact in terms of unmistakable truth,
that the all-pervading sentiment respon-
sible for the deadlock is a disposition to
bitterness, personal and petty prejudice,
which finds Judgement in the slogon of
the opposition, "Anything to beat Var
| daman"!
Ex-Governor James K. Vardaman, so
it was irrevocably declared at the polls
of this State only two years since, was
the choice of the people; for out of a
total of over 100000 votes, the distin-
guished Vardaman was defeated by a
mere pittance of some 6O0votes or more,
a hagatelle, as it were. It will be re-
membered the John Sharp Williams
partisans had made the prediction
claim of 25,000 majority for their idol.
1t can safely be asserted no other man
in the local confines of the State of Mis-
siissippi could have entered the political
arena with such gladiator as Mr.. Will
liams, and no man would have come so
near wrestling the laurels of victory from
one whose political prestige was well
nigh impregnable than the same James
K. Vardaman, who is today before the
Mississippi Legislature seeking the
senatorship made vacant by Mr.. Nc
| Laurin and for an unexpired term.
AS chief magistrate Mr.. Vardaman
gave the people of the State one of the
cleanest and most successful admins
trations ever known, free from the ma
lignant ills which only too often the
human mind and executive, it would ap-
pear, is heir to. 1t was only by stat
ute limitation he could not become his
own successor. AS a popular admins
tration James K. Vardaman's will stand
the most critical scrutiny and its MEM
ory the deprecatory influence Of time.
Today this faithful, tried and not
found wanting servant of the people,
with his splendid record, is factor to
be reckoned with by those who are seek
ing his political dissolution, and already
they, in their hallucinations, hear the
first notes of the dirge or requiem they
would chant, but while they toll in this
they reapeth not. Every characteristic
that personal embitterment and politi-
cal hate can bring forth is revived and
beckoned into action, but, like Banquo's
ghost, the spirit of the peoples will and
the presence of James K. Vardamon will
not down. From the first ballot he has
led by an overwhelming plurality, on
recent ballot coming within 9 votes of
the necessary majority for a choice.
Any move or measure offered to clear
the situation is promptly voted down
by the different coteries of opposition in
united action, as was defeated the reso-
luton of few evenings since to elimi-
nate the candidate with the fewest votes.
| This resolution for elimination was Of
fered as kind of last resort and to
clear somewhat the complex situation,
but it might have possibly meant the
subsequent selection of the peoples
choice, and that would, indeed, have
been in direct contravention of the slo-
gan, "Anything to beat Vardaman!"
Hence it's failure.
This opposition is we'll organized, a
veritable Gibraltar in its obstinacy and
persistency. On the other hand the
supporters of Governor Vardaman are
true to the cause, and nothing will daunt
or swerve them from their position.
However, there is one certainty, it re-
quires no prophet, political or otherwise,
to see, for the handwriting on the wall
| is plainly visible, that should the nomi-
nation of Mr.. Vardaman by the memo
rable caucus of 1910 fail, Phoenix-like
he will rise in 1911 and by retributive
vote of the common people-God bless
every one of them - rise to an over
whelming victory.
The political tradesmen at Jackson
had best gather up their wares and flee
from the temple which they would desc
crate by political jobbery. The dis
graceful spectacle at Jackson has in
fringed already too long on the patience
and intelligence of an inflicted and i'm
posed-upon public.