The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-04-16
Mississippian Demands That
vardaman Meet Him
In a Primary
PERCY WANTS PEOPLE
TO DECIDE THE CASE.
Percy's Def Comes With Surprising
Force After He Takes Up the Brib-
cry Charges In His Speech
Before the Senate

Jackson. Miss, April 15.-United States
Senator Leroy Percy in brief today de-
rlanded that the question of the validity
OF his election be submitted to a vote
of the people of Mississippi, and chal-
lenged his leading opponent in the recent
senatorial primary, former Governor
James K. yardaman, to enter a primary
election to be held during the month of
November of this year.
The def came as the climax of a speech
before the joint session of the two
branches of the state legislature, in which
Mr.. Percy denounced unsparingly State
| Senator Theodore Bilbo and those who
charged Irregularities in connection with
the recent senatorial contest.
1t is said to be the plan of Mr.. Percy
| that the election be regularly called again
| by the state democratic executive COM
| fnittee and that this election shall apply to
the regular senatorial term to begin after
| the completion of the present unexpired
| term of the late Senator MoLaurin, for
| which Mr.. Percy was elected to serve.
Should the report be adverse to him Mr..
| Percy agrees to resign and the governor
| may appoint some one to serve until the
next term, which would begin in 1913
Pending a conference between Mr.. VAR
dsman and his friends, the entire matter
| vas held in allegiance.
| Tonight it was said to be the intention
| of Mr.. Vardaman that he would be heard
In reply to Mr.. Percy, but a storm of
almost cyclonic proportions disarranged
the set states and the legislature will
meet again tomorrow in joint session to
| hear the former governor.
Vigorous Address
| Senator Percys address was vigorous
| from the outset and wus a scathing ar
raIgnment of Senator Bllbo, who charged
that money was used in connection with
| the senatorial contest
| After telling of the bright outlook for
democracy and the fear discernible among
the republicans, he spoke of the humiia-
| tor placed upon the state of Mississippi
| by the charges of bribery, which had
teen heralded abroad. Saying that tele-
| grams grew thicker and thicker In north
ern papers, he added: The air was fuii
| of rumors of foul deeds, lies and siam
ders, and more than that, intimauons.
/ suggestions and innuendoes of crime sor
which no man would stand, through
which it was sought to break down the
names of those that Mississippi has held
in reverence In Anderson, Alexander.
Byrd Critz, Kyle and Street in unfath-
cred questions-as pure and as able pa
trlots as the state of Mississippi has ever
produced, and whose characters put no
shield TO the doors of columny
| Continuing, he said:
your investigation mas SHOWN 10 tne
world that no stain rests upon the COM
mission that you have given me; that no
| suspicion or reproach rests upon the in
| tegrity of the state of Mississippi. l deny
| that the will of the people has been
| thwarted; that the same reason that
made the legislature of the state of Mis-
sissippi repudiate Vardamanism makes the
people of the state willing and desirous
of repudiating Vardamanism because they
| nF thn
strife breeding. am prepared to main
tain that before the people of the state
| my attitude, and I am Furthermore anx-
ious for the opportunity of maintaining
and asserting 1t at the earliest moment
before the people of my state
/ In striking contrast to last nights
stormy proceedings, during which reso-
luton was adopted demanding the resig-
nation O. State Senator Theodore G. Bill
bo. on the ground that he is unworthy
| to sit with a body of honest men. todays
session of the senate opened quietly.
The first echo of the incident was an
announcement from President Pro Tenn
Heborn, who led the march of the in
| surgents from the senate chamber last
night when the resolution denouncing
Bilbo was offered, that he did not intend
to resign permanently as presiding Of
| ficer The senate accepted Mr.. Heborn
exclamation and he resumed his chair.
Senator Bilbo, who was in his accus-
! toned seat, voted on several measures
called upon for passage during the nrst
hour and declared he has no intention OF
resigning.
| An Indictment pending in the Kinds
| county circuit court, charging l.. c. Du-
laney with giving Senator Bilbo bribe
of s645 to change his vote from Varda-
man to Percy in the senatorial contest.
will not reach hearing on the motion
for a change of venue until Saturday
morning
/ Counsel for the defense will file pleas
before Judge Henry to have the indict-
| ment quashed One of the pleas VIII
he based on last nights action of the
state senate declaring that Senator Biipo
is unworthy of belief and not entitled to
sit In a body with honest men.