The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1911-03-31

and certainly all differences as to these
should be fought out within the party.
Has any better way ever been devised to
get the truth out of conflicting conten-
tions than joint debatesY Truth can
often be gotten in no other way. This
is the time-honored, the historic way of
settling issues. In our courts the issues
Of life and death, Of liberty and property
are settltd, not by one-sided testimony
and arguments, but by hearing both sides
and by joint discussions. Even in our
schools our boys from their childhood are
taught to debate, and ever now in our
colleges in Mississippi the youths Of our
states are having joint public debates
about the very issues which Major Var
daman advocates. | do not recall that
any distinguished Mississippian, aspiring
to this high office has ever Stunned to
meet his opponents ON the stump.
Not only is joint debate the Gully
effective way, but with the turn this
campaign is taking, it is the only fair
and manly way. The southern people
are the bravest men on earth. They are
also the fairest. They love fairness and
demand it in every fight. Even in child
hood our boys must fight fair and play
fair, and no boy keeps his standing
among his fellows who runs either from
a fight or n frolic, or who is not fair in
both. II is not fair for Major Varda.
man to conduct his campaign as he is
doing. It is not fair to voters Of the
state, nor is it fair to me. The voters
of Mississippi are for the most part busy
working men. As Bryan said, they are
all business men as much those whose
business Is to make a living on the
farm or factory as those In an office
or a bank. They have not the oppor.
tunity to thoroughly study political
issues. They are entitled to hear in
telligent discussion Of public measures
and the records of public men. But, he
says, he is unwilling to draw crowds Tor
me to address. Is this because he fears
before audiences Of his own friends to
maintain his views as against d man
less magnetic and more obscure, or is It
because he believes he already has a
majority OF the voters Of the state, and
he fears that they might IN some way be
wooed away from himi Ii is "a his
credit that he has many followers who
admire him. But, will he have the voters
Of Mississippi shut up in seclusion, like
the Turkish sultan does the women of
his harem, lest they may see and hear an.
other mar who may be a sn;tor for their
suffragef What is Major Vardaman
speaking forg What is the use Of his
speaking At allg Is it just TO keep him.
self in practicei We are reminded of a
story: Judge Longstreet, first chancellor
of our State University, and grandfather
Of our distinguished towusman, wrote
in his early days the most humorous
book | have ever read. II is called
Georgia Scenes. In this he tells how
on riding once through o remote section
of Georgia, he heard in the woods near
iiie tVdu Souhus VI Y must ttfIihc ught,
blows and oaths and cries for help. He
leapcd from his horse and ran to the
scene. ere IN a little space he found
a strapping fellow down on his hands
and knees pounding and gouging and
tearing up the ground. He shouted to
him to quit numbering the man. The
fellow jumped up at once With d sheep
ish look, for there was nobody present
but himself, He was fighting an i'm
aginary man. When asked Il he was
Ne said, No, stranger, but | am
going to the muster tomorrow, and /