The Tupelo journal., 1910-07-22
THE SECRET CAUCUS.

Vardaman condemning the eau
Gus nomination of Percy for the
United States Senate, which is
misleading, that it would be well
to understand just what as
done:
The Legislature of Mississippi
met in January in party caucus
and passed a resolution that a
candidate for the United States
Senate should be nominated in
caucus by ballot. Accordingly
this was done and the nomination
made in that manner; and what
was the manner? Once a day
the members of the House and
Senate would meet in the hall of
of the House of Representatives
and take one or more ballots.
These ballots were taken by sup
porters of both Governor Varda-
man and Senator Percy. The
roll of the members would be
called in alphabetical order. AS
their names were called. they
would go up to the tellers and
either secretly or openly. as they
chose. make their ballots for the
candidate they desired to be
nominated, and handed them to
one of the tellers. AS a matter
of fact. a great many members
voted an open ballot. AS the bal
lots were handed to the tellers
they were deposited in a box.
When all had voted, the tellers,
which included Vardaman's and
Percy's supporters, would count
them and declare the results.
This continued until a nomina-
ton was made. Governor Varda-
mans friends were the frs. to
make the move in favor of a
caucus nomination. However,
the most of his friends favored a
viva voce vote, though several of
them favored the plan adopted,
a nomination by ballot. This is
precisely the same method by
which Lamar, George, Walthall.
Money and McLaurin were nomi-
mated to the United States Sen
ate: and it is exactly the mothod
adopted in most of the States in
the Union. Now what is the rea-
son for it? The purpose is that
the members of the Legislature,
if they desire, may vote secretly
so that they may be uninfluenced
and u~ntrammeled by anything
watch may be brought to bear
from the outside. 1t is to secure
a free tallot, free from corrup-
t on and undue influences. 1t is
to secure the honest judgment
of the members of the legisla-
ture. The main purpose is to
provide a means against bribery.
Why would a sane man under
take to bride a member of the
Legislature when he knew that
ne had the right to cast a secret
ballot, and therefore no means
of ascertaining whether he would
stay bribed? Governor Varda-
man was a member of the Legis-
lature when a United Staets SEN
ator was nominated in this same
manner. Nobody heard anything
then about a secret caucus. The
secret ballot now is in voge in
nearly every State in the Union.
We have it in Mississippi. Every
officer in the State Of Mississippi,
from constable up to United
States Senator, is nominated by
secret ballet. The reason for
i; is so apparent that any man
c IN see il. Under the secret bal
lot you can't march a voter to
the polls and make hin vote as
you please. The same reason
for it's existence In our primary
elections and general elections
exists in all elections and nomi-
nations, whether by Legislature
or otherwise. So there you have
that terrible secret caucus. DO
you not think a candidate for the
United States Senate weuld be a
fool to bribe man to vote for
him when there was no earthly
way to find out whether the bride
taker had complied with his con-
tract? Whether right or wrong,