Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1911-04-21
AN OPEN LETTER TO MR. VAR
DAMAN.
Hon. John H. WelIborn, Starkville, Re-
quests Mr.. Vardaman to Ex-
plain a Few Things.

1~ ''lAh L.
the lower house Of the legislature from
Oktibbeha county, and one OF the most
influential members Of that body, has
addressed an open letter to ex-Gov
J. X. Vardaman that is calculated to
make its recipient and the people of
Mississippi generally, sit up and take
notice. The communication is one OF
the most interesting contributions to
the literature of the current campaign,
and is in full as follows:
Starkvilie, Miss, March 27, 1911.
Dear Sir heard your speech in
Starkville last Saturday, and was much
plain. As usual, you referred to the
legislative caucus that did not elect
you senator, in terms of derisiOn and
abuse, and especially cautioned your
voters not to send any of these men
back to the Notwithstanding, of
course, those who did not vote for you
for senator.
| feel that it is the duty of all good
citizens to resent your unwarranted
interference in the legislative cam
paign in this and other countries of the
state. For a candidate aspiring to the
exalted position of United States scna-
tor, going aside from his own cam
paigm to take Il hand in the local aE-
fairs of the people, is low politics, and
something unhcard OF before in the his
tory OF this state.
You have said in your paper, as we'll
as on the stump, that this caucus, that
did not elect you senator, was vile,
rotten, etc, etc.
Being an humble member of that leg
~islaturc as well as a participant in that
caucus, | know not how to reply to
your vilification of that patriotic body
of men, except through the press, as
You are so uncertain of your position
that you Will not go into Joint debate
with your opponents. Hence, / must re-
spcctfully call your attention to the
act that you did not explain:
First-Why you stayed in that eau
Gus for seven long weeks and said moth
ing about its being rotten. Instead of
withdrawal from it and trying to break
up that rotten caucus" you boasted
that you only wanted the chance to run
it off with one opponent.
Second-After you had gotten the
long-cherished opportunity of running
it off with one opponent, and Mr.. Percy
was elected, still this choice had to be
confirmed by the legislature. The roll
was called and all but one voted for the
nominee. lSee House Journal 1910,
page 500 There is nothing in law or
ethics making an obligation binding
where fraud is known, and if YOU knew
it. and said nothing, your cowardice
units YOU for United States senator.
If your followers knew it, and still in
dorscd it with their votes. they are un-
fit for legislators, and You ought to be
ashamed of your crowd.
Third-After the effort by one OF
your leaders (Bilbo) to bring reproach
upon the good name of the state by a
false charge of bribery, and after one
OF the most thorough Investigations in
the history of the state, both houses
of tne legislature passed, without a dis
sentlng vote, the following resolutions:
IA view of the scandalous rumors
which have been circulated touching the
rece2t senatorial contest. the house of
representatives takes pleasure in say
ing 10 the people of Mississippi. that
Hazlehurst Courier: Senator Leroy
Percy has made a brilliant record in con
gress during his short period of service.
No mattar how Ona ~ S+,,l an +bo