The Semi-weekly leader. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1905-1941, 1910-05-04
GOV. VARDAMAN
in ARKANSAS.
The White ClIeltalh Given Grand
Ovation al Hot Springs.
Editor vicksburg POST

Editor vicksburg Post:
Dabney Parish, Will Willis, NAL
colin Cameron and other Mississip-
plans now sojourning in the Val-
LEY of Vapors we're immensely
delighted with the cordiaIity Of
Governor Vardaman's reception,
and at the splendid impression be
made while here. Hearing the
Immense volume OF applause that
greeted the close of his lecture, it
felt good to be a Mississippian.
The courtesy of the Hot Springs
people was superb. The ex- Gov
ernor was met at the train by the
President Of the Business Men S
League. and other representative
men, was at once driven to Essex
Park and then given a magnificent
dinner. Monday morning he was
permitted to enjoy one of the Hot
Springs baths in the luxurious
marble finished Arlington bath
house. Monday afternoon he was
rendered a reception at the Arling
ton Hotel. All Hot Springs was
there. and in addition visitors from
every State and island possession of
the Union. All were eager to-
meet and know the man of whom
such conflicting reports were cur
rent.
At night came the lecture at the
Auditorium. This is the largest
theatre in Hot Springs. and was.
filled with perhaps the most cos
mopolltan audience ever assembled
to greet a speaker. for Hot Springs
is the Union in miniature. Gov
ernor Doneghay had come down
from Little Rock to introduce the
lecturer. The stage was filled with
men representing the business. the
State, the Federal and the Social
interests of the city.
Governor Vardaman did a very
rash and daring thing. He spoke
for two hours and twenty minutes
on a serious subject. But success
crowned his audacity. The Mis-
sissippians watched the audience
lintently to see how they were im-
pressed. During the whole two
hours and twenty minutes the
audience was not only attentive but.
eager and rapt. There was abso-
lutely no stirring in the seats, no
looking around, no restlessness.
Each eye was concentrated on the
speaker. each face bent forward,
each ear open to catch the mingled
Ihumor. learning. pathos and
philosophy that made up the
thoughtful and impressive dis
course. To hold an audience such
a length Of time is almost an un-
paralleled achievement.
Dabney Parrish was somewhat
nervous before the lecture, for he
had mainly engineered the engage
ment and in his enthusiastic way.
had told everybody from the Pres
ident of the Business Mems League
to the bath house attendants that
Vardaman was a better orator than
Vending, John Temple Graves
or any other speaker before the
public. Well at the close of the
lecture, Parrish was walking on
air. Vardaman had made good.
Col. Fordyce. of this place. rail-
road and traction magnate, owner
of bank, insurance and mining
stocks. leader of the business men
and of the safe, sane and conserva-
tive element, had entered the audi
torium and sat on the stage re-
Iuctantly. AT the conclusion Of
the lecture he said, Governor, I
will be one of FIVE men to give ten
thousand dollars to have that speech
repeated throughout the North.
A gentleman from Alaska whom
Mr.. Will Willis had persuaded to-
attend. kept him awake till two
o'clock that night praising the lee
ture and repeating It's epigrams
and arguments.
/ have talked to scores of others
who heard Governor Vardaman.
and all without single exception
say they never heard a lecture like