The Columbus commercial. (Columbus, Miss.) 1893-1922, 1911-08-06
PERCY WILL RESIGN
SEAT IN THE SENATE
WHEN LEGISLATURE MEETS
Ex-Governor James X. Varda-
man. Elected at Tuesdays
Primary, Will Not Take
Seat Until 1919

Greenville, MISS, Aug .. ~-
Senator Leroy Percy. at So'clock
tonight, issued his first state.
ment since the primary election
of Tuesday last in which he was
overwhelmingly defeated. He
said that he would tender his
resignation at she convening Of
the next session of the legisla-
ture.
Ex. Governor Vardaman, elect
ed at Tuesdays primary. will not
take his seat until March A, 1918.
This will leave a little over a
year of the unexpired term of
Senator Percy. The legislature
will, therefore, choose who shall
fill this term. Mr.. Percy's state
ment follows:
''The returns from the senato-
rial election are decisive. In no
uncertain manner the voters
have indorsed Vardamanism and
all that it stands for in Mississip-
pi. The result calls for no co n
mentor criticism, certainly no com
[plaint from me. That the people
[of Mississippi deserve the conse-
quencies which will flow from
this election | am unwilling to
say. An indictment so severe !
would draw against no people,
but believing in a government Of
majorities, | have no desire to
thwart their expressed will.
"Honorably elected to the SEN
ate by the legislature, / have
served with such ability as / pos
sessed and with an eye single to
tho welfare of thelstate. ! went
before the last legislature and
later before the state executive
committee and urged that the
primary be ordered for Novem-
ber, 1910, in order to avoid the
bitter and protracted fight which
would result from the postpone
ment of it until August, 1911.
Il then stated that the com
mission of senator was of no val
ue to me unless it received the
Endorsement of the people of the
state at the polls, and that | was
willing to lay it at their feet, and
if they should say by the prima-
ry OF that year that they prefer
red to have another to serve
them, | would resign at the first
session of the legislature held
thereafter, so that the place
might be filled by the man of
their choice. While the PROPOSE
ton when made applied to a pri-
mary to be held in 1910. and was
coupled with a provision requir-
ing joint debate, and while the
proposition is in no sense obliga-
tory upon me now, yet the rea-
sons given then still seem poten-
tial to me.
81 entered the senatorial race
through no personal ambition,
seeking only the most effective
method of preventing the tri-
umph of Vardamanism. have
held the office at the sacrifice of
personal fortune and inclination.
The result of this election entire
ly absolves me from the duty of
acting as a temporary buffer be-
tween the PEOPLE of the state
and that which they have chosen
for themselves. / purpose upon
the converting of the next legis-
lature to hand in my resignation.
thereby empowering it to name
my successor for the unexpired
as well as the full term.
Despite any temporary disap-
pointment. | feel that this course
will meet with the ultimate ap-
proval of my friends. As much
as respect their opinions and
wishes, cannot be moved By
their appeals. though from this
course | might be swerved by
the calumny and abuse Of my
foes.
In conclusion | wish to say
80 ---o-I- r~rv-f .,-~rro-c ms