The Tupelo journal., 1911-04-07
A SALTY LETTER TO Mr.. vARDAMAN
Hon. John r.. WeIborn, of starkville, Hands Him
Something To Think About.

Senator Percy is free from fraud
or corruption. And regardless
/ of whether we have support ed
Senator Percy in the recent con-
test, or will support him in the
approaching primary. we record
with pleasure our confidence in
his chivalrous honor and person
al and political integrity, and
our desire to hold up his hands
in the performance of his high
duties as a representative of this
great commonwealth in the SEN
ate of the United States"
This resolution was intro 1dced
in the house by one of your lead
ers, Mr.. Cavett (see House
Journal, page 1923.
This was nearly two months
after the senatorial election, and
Immediately after the bribery
investigation, and still you and
your followers knew of nothing
rotten in the caucus, for there
was not vote against this reso-
luton. If you, or. you. follow
ers knew of fraud, and still al
lowed this resolution to go un-
challenged. such cowardice de-
serves the contempt of honest
men.
Fourth-It was right and
proper that the legislature should
make searching investigation
of the moral and intellectual fit
ness of each of the candidates.
The blessed sunlight of public
ity,' which you say that you SO
much love, was turned on, and |
must confess that | was impress
sed with the cold facts Of rec
ord, rejecting upon your truth
fulness and honesty as man
and public official. For instance.
/ lay down the proposition, which
is backed by the high moral SEN
Sc Of all honest men. That any
man who will lay hands on a sa-
cred trust fund for private use is
uaworthyof public trust.
You went out Of the Office of
governor without turning over
to your successor the battleship
silver service fund, which was
unprecedented, and according to
our attorney geaefal=unlaWful.
After you was pressed by the
battleship commission, you did
turn over the sum of 81, 100,
which you said was correct, but
! to this good day you have never
given a list of the subscribers to
that fund. The names Of sub
scribers and the amounts, gotten
by Mrs. Lockwood, are now on
file in the archives of the state,
but the commission failed to get
from you this important data.
lSee their report, Senate Journal
1910, page 1897 Why should
you Withhold the list of subscrih-
ers to this fund? The charge, as
you know, was publicly made.
that you had spent this money,
and while it was your privilege
to hide behind the secrecy of a
bank, yet it was expected Of you
as you claim to ''have never had
a political secret" and love the
blessed sunlight of publicity, =
to come out and put your enc
mics to the bad, by publishing a
bank statement showing that
you had this fund properly on
deposit. Banks do not destroy
records, SO can you not even
now. let the blessed sunlight OF
publicity shine in, |" by showing
this statement.
18th. You went out of office
and did not turn over to your
successor, the Spanish American
war fund, which was also un-
precedented. A committee was
appointed to see why you had
not done so-sse journal 1908,
page 807. It seems that this
committee got on the track o1
this fund while you were out Of
Jackson and from the Capita
National Bank they traced it to
your private bank The Missis.