The Semi-weekly leader. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1905-1941, 1910-05-14
COPIAH LEADS OFF.
Vardaman iOr 1911 The Secret Ballot
and It's Dark Lantern Tactics
Severely Condemned.


A mass meeting was held BY the
citizens Of Perks, in Copiah county,
May Z. 1910.
Perks is voting precinct on the
western slope of Copiah county and
inhabited BY as good people as are
in the State.
At this meeting Mr.. Garth, Of
Hazlehurst. gave the people one Of
his masterly speeches for one and
a half hours. Mr.. B. G. Sellers
was made chairman and w. 3,
Purser secretary. The following
preamble and resolutions were
offered BY /. R. Martin and unani-
mously adopted by standing vote:
Whereas, We believe the secret
causcus held at jackson by the
members Of the Legislature and
State Senators in January and Feb
ruary last was untrue to pure
Democratic principles; and,
Whereas, We believe the secret
caucus held at Jackson in January
and February, 1910. was a dark
lantern concern. one in which was
kept secret its working against the
will and wishes of a large majority
of the people of Mississippi; and,
Whereas. we believe our public
officers are our public servants and
should represent the will of the
people only, under any and all cir
cumstances; and,
Whereas, From what we gather
from newspapers and reliable
sources the caucus didn't elect to
the United States Senate lin the
person of Leroy Percy to fill the
vacancy caused by the death of the
lamented A. j. McLaurin) the
choice Of a majority Of the people
Of Mississippi, and its actions
prove to US it was a dark lantern
proceeding; and,
Whereas, We believe from the
empty whiskey bottles found
around the capital and other places
in Jackson. during the sitting Of
the cauc6s, that whiskey was used
in the dark lantern concern to
bring about the election Of Leroy
Percy to the United States Senate; !;
and that one drink lof whiskey
given to secure a vote is bribery
according to 1871 of the Code of
Mississippi; therefore be it
Resolved, by the white Demo-
cratic voters of Perks precinct.
Copiah county, Miss. in mass
meeting assembled:
1st. That we condemn the dark
lantern caucus held in Jackson ia
January and February, 1910.
End. That this meeting declares
unanimously for Hon. j. K. Var
daman for United States Senator at
the election Of 1911.
3rd. That we pledge ourselves to
use every honest method and
means to secure the election of
Hon. j. K. Vardaman by the peo-
pie in 1911.
4th. That we deplore and regret
the action of our Legislators from
Copiah county in caucus aiding in
the defeat of Hon. j. K. Vardaman
against the will and wishes Df a
majority of the people Of Copiah.
county.
9Th. That we commend and APP
plaud DR.. E. A. Rowan, our State
senator. for the brave and noble
stand he took for his people in
trying to carry out their will and
wishes while in the State Senate.
9th. That we believe tito be the
duty of some one of our representa-
tives to detect the fraud and
bribery. if any. in the dark lantern
caucus that elected Leroy Percy to-
the United States Senate over Hon.
]. K. Vardaman. who we believe
is the choice Of a majority Of the
people of Mississippi; therefore,
we tender our thanks and hearty
approval to Hon. Theo. G. Bilbo
for the brave and hazardous effort
he made to detect and expose fraud
and bribery in the dark lantern
caucus.
7th. That we pledge ourselves
Jointly and severalIy to guard the
ballot box and see to it that an
honest vote and fair count is
made in the election of 1911, and we.
sincerely plead with the people Of
every precinct in the State to join
US la this resolution.
8th. That we fully indorse Judge
Henry and District Attorney Nc
Neil in their efforts to enforce the
law against those charged with
bribery carried on in that dark
lantern caucus which elected Percy
over the will and wishes Of mas
jority of the people Of Mississippi