Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1911-07-28
FROM THE PEOPLE
sIm aud DispasSiOnate Reasoning.


fe of Gov. Vardaman, but to cali spec
attention to the two main planks OF
1is platform, in a calm, dispasslouate
ay. His campaign is based first, on
ne charge that the caucus of 1910 was
orrupt and rotten, and det1auded MIN
the nomination. which would have
-One to him but for the fact that brlb'
~ of all kinds was used to bring about
lis defeat, Now, let US examine the
,cts in the cs Sc, and see what founda-
ion there is for this charge.
In every ballot taken, clear MAJOR
Y of the caucus was against him. The
,rst ballot showed SO for Vardaman and
OIL for the opposition. The last ballot
tood 81 for tc 81 against.
The charge of corruption originated
nth Bilbo. 1t is said that drunken
ian thinks every body else drunk
3ilbo knew himself rotten and corrupt,
8 nd thought every one else was.
Shortly aftcr the caucus was organ
.ed he went to Mr.. PoindeXter and
thers Of Vardaman's friends, and rep
esented that he had been offered mon
y to vote for Percy. After consulting
IN Vardaman and friends it was
ed that he should accept this money
nd thus bring about the defeat of
ercy. This was early in January
Nothing more is heard of this matter
mtil the nomination had been made
nd ratified by the legislature, by
unanimous vote, even BilbO, with this
rbe money in his possession voting
or him, and the commission as senator.
adj been given to Percy. This was
:bruary 22d, 1910. In the early part
f March the Kinds county grand jury
gan an investigation of this rumOr OF
ibery, and Bilbo was summoned as
witness, and for the first time we hear
this charge He testified before this
,dy that beginning in the latter part
January DUlaney begal paying sums
# money for his vote and kept it up
ntil the day after the nomination, pay
ng in all S645. Now let it be remem-
Jered that a part of this money had
cen in his possession for six weeks,
md vet he had never mentioned 1T to
oul, That he had gone into the final
allot with this money, and never used
to defeat Percy. Is this a reasona-
le tale? Do you believe it i? That he
hould have had this money all this
ime and mentioned it to no one is
cry Improbable tale. If he had an
~nced on the final vote that he had
IN bribed to vote for Percy would
10 NOT bnuo JolauaI rODoipo tiO1o
nd led to an investigation? His cX-
use is that he was afraid of boodshed.
oes any fair-minded man believe it?
lould any brave man make such ex-
use? Now the only proof of this
large is the unsupported statement of
1e "dirty little piney woods" Bilbo,
Tho had established the reputation Of a
lr in the prohibition fight two years
efore If he had received any money
change his vote, he would certainly
ave reported it to his partisans, un-
ess he intended to steal it and was
frustrated in his intention by the fear
hat the grand jury would find out that
le had received the money and would
..adict him for bribery.
Nobody brought the charge of cor
-.uption for some time after the nomi-
ation, and then nobody but Vardaman
md his followers. If he had been nom
mated do you suppose there would have
cen any complaint? 1t is strange that
lone of the other candidates before the
qucus found out that everybody who
vas opposed to Vardaman was corrupt.
Il. of them, and they are as good and
he men as live, say that the caucus,
.all respects, was as fair as any ever
held in the State.
Mr. Cavett is saying now in his
speeches, that the opposition did moth
ing to secure the nomination, that Var
laman's friends would not have done if
hey coulo. Mr.. Price, in his speech at
Cliftonville said the caucus was in no
way corrupt, and so does Hon. H. M.
Street, Mr.. Dean and all the other men
n that body but Vardaman and his fol-
lowers.
Now you fair-minded men of Noxubee,
re you going to take the unsupported
N,tatement of the characterless Bilbo,
gainst reason, against the word of
nen you have known all your lives, as
sonorable, highminded men9 Surely
at You cannot say that they testified
thus because they are anxious for the
efeat of Vardaman. Mr.. Cavett, at
sBst, is known all over the State as
IN ardent supporter of Gov. Varda-
man. No. gentlemen. Percy was fairly
nominated, and according to Demqarag
10 custom, should hsTa y1rr 5gRHQFt
rp Feseleetian. -"