The Semi-weekly leader. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1905-1941, 1911-07-26

secret caucus at jackson during tht
session Of the legislature in 1910
My business called me to Jackson
three times while the Legislature
was in session; once early In Jan.
uary, again the latter part of Jan
uary and third time about the
middle of February. When / first
went to jackson the secret caucus
had just begun operations. Being
a Mississippian, felt an interest
in the contest and | watched every.
thing closely, circulating among
the members of the legislature and
around the different senatorial
headquarters at night after finish
ed my days business. / was per-
sonaIly acquainted with several
members of the legislature and
talked with them about the sena-
torial situation, On my first visit
to jackson ! hunted up two MEM
bers of the legislature with whom
was acquainted and found them oc-
Icupying modest rooms in private
boarding houses. They told me
fthat Jackson was a high place in
which to live. and that they could
mot afford to pay the prices de-
manded for rooms and meals at the
hotels. Later on during the month,
when ! returned to jackson, ! found
these same members of the legisla-
ture occupying expensive rooms in
the Edwards House. When asked
one of them why he changed his
boarding place from a private
house to the hotelhe replied: This
amt costing me anything It's
coming out of Percy's campaign
fund" He then went on to say
that he intended to vote for Percy
on the remaining ballots. / ex-
pressed astonishment at this ex-
penditure of money and sc ansWers
ed, "Oh. hell. Others are doing
it; why shouldn't / do itgs' re-
minded him of the fact that hR hnd
promised me 10 sote k4F
and he answered: Your friend.
Alexander amt worth cnss. He
won't be in the race much longer.
Us Percy folks will push him off
the track. /" At this juncture John
I'M. Allen came up. We were
talking in the lobby of the Edwards
House. Allen heard the latter part
of our conversation about Alex
ander and chimed in: mo, Alex
won't be in it much longer. We're
going to push him off the track and
put Percy over the plate" How
will you do it?'' / asked. wait
and see, +" he replied.
The next night | met my other
legislative friend. referred to-
above. He, too. had moved to the
Edwards House. AS / had been
over to Vicksburg that day and was
unable to secure room, my friend
invited me to share his room with
him. which offer accepted. When
we went up to the room to retire
my friend pulled out big roll of
money and counted it. Looks
like you've struck it rich, 81 re-
marked to him. Yes, ! won this
money from John Allen and bunch
of Percy fellows in a poker game. =
| expressed surprise, whereupon he
said: "Oh. them Percy fellows
amt SO bad. I'm for Percy now.
On my previous visit to jackson
my friend Id me he would sup.
port Alexander. and when remind
ed him of IL he said: Alexander
don't stand ghost of a chance in
this fight. The Percy peop5e have
the money and they are going to
win.' Seeing it was useless. II
did not argue with HIM any fur
ther.
The next morning. when / went
to pay my bill at the Edwards
House. prior to taking train,
man who was pointed out to me as
Mr.. Percy's campaign manager,
stepped up to the desk in front of
me and told the clerk or bookkeeper
to charge the rooms occupied by
four members of the legislature.
whom he named, to him, and the
clerk replied that he would do SO.
A day or SO afterward my busi-
ness called me to Mobile, and when
! reached that city I called at the
Mobile & Ohio railroad Offices to
look after some transportation mat
ters. While was in the building,
some of the railroad officials, learn
ing that | had recently been in
jackson, questioned me about the |
senatorial race and asked my opin-
ion about the result. | replied
that it was very much mixed and it |
was impossibple to make forecast. |
One Of them remarked: 1--WE |
want to see Vardaman beaten and
Percy elected. |" What's the
matter with Alexander inouir- |
ed. "Oh. durn Alexander. be re- |
piled. hes about as big a crank /
and fool as Vardaman. About the |
only difference between them is
that Vardaman has long hairP'
Why are you 50 much stuck On
Percy?v ! asked. Because ne
replied, Percy j. the ablest man