The Semi-weekly leader. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1905-1941, 1910-04-27
NOEL WANTS NO SENATORIAL PRIMARY
MississIppi's Governor Gives Out d Re-
markabIe Interview at Wash
InetOn.

uldIAduis lhletFieW ae uasil-
lnetOn.
Washington. April 20. An em-
phatic veto was tonight placed on
the Percy Vardaman agreement to
hold an informal senatorial primary
il Mississippi this fall. Gov. Noel
will not stand for it. Inasmuch as
the tentative agreement between
the Senator and the former Gov-
ernor implies appointment by the
Governor Of the former Governor
in the event he should win the veto
is Of weight.
.'I am opposed to this primary,
said the Governor IT would be
futile. without warrant OF law and
serve merely to keep the State in
political turmoil. The primary
law says nominations for Offices
shall be made in the way it pre-
scribes and no other. OF course
the proposed primary would have
to be consent affair. but it would
be without the safeguards thrown
around a regular primary by the
law.
What is the use of such a pro-
Iceeding? There could be no elec-
Etion by the Legislature until a year
from next January. Before that
time we have got to have sena-
toriaI primary to name candidate
for the long term.
True, we have a congressional
primary this year. but it never
produces the excitement attendant
upon senatorial primary. The
State has had enough of politics
this spring, and to hold this consent
primary would be inviting some-
thing unnecessary.
.Bilbo and Cowart are thorough
ly discredited. don't believe
them worthy of credence. / pre-
sented evidence to the grand jury
concerning them and their opera
tions which to me seem sufficient
warrant for that body to 60 farther
than the Senate did in asking Sem
ator Bilbo to resign. For reasons
known to the members they took
no action with regard to Cowart,
but they are thoroughly discredit-
ed. SO what could Senator Percy
hope to gain by the primary more
than he already has?
1t was courageous, of course,
for Senator Percy to do what he
did, but if my advice had been
sought / would have told him it
was foolish. Naturally / suppose
he would have disagreed with me.
No one told me what he intended
doing, and / had no inkling Of it
until after he made his speech.
The hours after the Legislature adj
journed left Jackson and have
had no opportunity to consult any
one. Thave not been near the Cap-
itol and have seen no member Of
the delegation in Congress except
Mr.. Sisson.
Then you would appoint Mr..
Vardaman were he to win in the
proposed consent primary?y
Nobody would expect me to, =
said the Governor emphatically.
without affirmativeIy saying he
would refuse to carry out the
necessary implication carried BY
the agreement.
/ am not a party to the agree
ment. Nobody consulted me, and
the primary will not be held with
my consent. nor even with my ac-
quiescence. | don't know how I
could express my disapproval In
stronger terms. The law never
contemplated that the primary sys-
TEN should be used for any such
scheme as this. If anybody Of
standing believed there was any
question about the cleanness Of the
election Of Senator Percy there
might be justification for such a
proceeding, but not otherwise.
The visit to Washington having
been primarily on account Of Mrs.
Noel's desire to attend the ID. Al.
r. convention. he has kept politics
and governmental matters in the
background. Tomorrow be is GO
ing over to the Department Of
Agriculture to talk with DR.. Knapp
about boil weeviI fight methods:
with Director Page about good
roads, and with DR.. Melvin about
cattle tick eradication, for which
| the State this year has made an ap-
preparation Of SIC. 600 instead Of
$2500 as heretofore, and with Fish
Commissioner Bowers about co.
tannraffva Cuork of that ehararfnr