The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1911-07-05
THE HATTIESBURG NEWS

by my management for intoxicating
liquors. No wine suppers were aces
series of my campaign. No drunken
| legislator were ever hauled by me or
my friends 10 the caucus and voted.
However, l did not seek then, nor do
| seek now to line up the tee-totalers
of the state. ! did not then, nor do l
| now, condemn men, because, unlike
myself, they are not teetotalers yet.
| both from habit and inclination, and
| because I had occupied the represen-
tative position of being on the State
Prohibition Committee, l and my man.
ayers were especially careful to avoid
the least criticism. Now, Major Var
daman processes to be a prohibitions
list and was also member of the State
Prohibition Committee, though he
couldn't be gotten to single meeting
of the Committee. He professed to
be a prohibitionist, and no one has
ever acclaimed more eloquently
against the curse of intoxicating
drink"
Contrasting his own headquarters
with those of Vardaman, Mr. Alexan-
der asserted that on the sworn testi-
mony of reputable witnesses, many of
wi ON were members of the legislature
and Vardaman's warm supporters, IL
uuor was freely dispensed in and
about Vardaman's headquarters, fire.
uuently on his own invitation; that
| Vardaman and his friends gave at
| least one champagne supper during
the caucus: that the rooms adjoining
the hall of representatives were appro-
priated and used by Major Vardaman
and his friends, where liquors were
dispensed freely and frequently by
Vardaman himself; that a well-known
ex-policeman of the city of Jackson
was at Vardaman's headquarters dis
pensing drinks and "to see that order
WAS kept"
"Now. ! have no fear that Major
Vardaman will deny my assertion as
to the absence of liquors in my own
headquarters. If as to his own head
quarters and management he denies
my charges, will give the names of
the witnesses, most of whom we're
then, and are now, his own warm sup
porters The voters are entitled to
know the truth. To borrow the words
of Major Vardaman. which with him
are a mere phrase and not a rule of
action, say let the blessed sunlight
of publicity shine 1t. "
Mr.. Alexander said he never referred
to the private character or conduct of
an opponent and ri shall not turn
aside to notice the opprobrious cpl
thets and belittllng references to me
made by Major Vardaman in speeches
and newspapers.
Friends have told me that they
have never seen respectful reference
to me in his paper. am habituaily
called by epithets intended as a slur
upon my character as man and
Christian. In his paper he refers to
me as a piuus fraud. Indeed, it seems
to have become a habit of his to sheer
at every man who pretends to con-
sistency of life. have no piety TO
spare. wish 1 had more; but | can
look the world in the face and say
Lave never defrauded any man.
have handled professionally and in
dollars of trust funds, and have &C
counted for every dollar and cent, and
my books, records and vouchers have
always been and are now open to all
who are interested. Can Major Var
daman say as much? Again, he cir
culates in his paper the charge that
| am a demagogue."
Answering the charge that he was
a demagogue. Mr.. Alexander gave the
definition of that term and said he
would leave it with his audience as to
whether the description fit him or not.
Passing from men to measures Mr..
Alexander declared that the dominant
issue before the party and country to-
day is the contest between the plain
masses of our people and the forces of
organized wealth" He stated that
was the issue on which the Demo
cratic party was swept into power
last year; that the influence of the
corporations and special interests in
the framing of legislation was respon
sible for the uprising of the people
with the determination to drive this
influence out of politics and that g
tariff bill might be framed in the in
tareSf Of the masSas that tho victory