The Port Gibson reveille. [volume] (Port Gibson, Miss.) 1890-current, 1911-07-13

Dinner was then announced,
and the voters ate while candidate:
poured soft soap into their ears
and there were lots of candidate:
on the grounds. Those who spoke
were but small per cent of the
big army present.
Just as dinner was concluded, q
heavy rain drove the crowd into
the spacious pavilion, greatly tc
the enjoyment of X. L. Montgom.
cry and other loyal Percyites.
Mr.. Martin introduced Senator
Percy with tfteen-minute eulogy
on the man and his work in the
senate. Once or twice he was in.
terrupted by cheers for Vardaman
and Bilbo from a few supporters
of these candidates in one side oi
the pavilion, but he rebuked the
disturbers rather severely and there
was no further demonstration.
Mr.. PERCY'S SPEECH
Senator Percy shows the wear OF
the long and trying campaign. He
is thinner than when be spoke at
Port Gibson last September, and
his face and voice gave evidence of
the labors through which he is
passing. However, he has lost
none of the logical power which
even his bitterest enemies concede
to him.
The speaker began by saying
that be missed from Claiborne
county the faces of two of his
friends, Jacob Bernheimer and
Geo. Robertson. He then thanked
the ladies for their presence, and
said that they are just as much in
terested in the battle for right
which he is waging in Mississippi
as are the men, and he needs their
support; that when a Mississippian
says a thing that would cause a
blush to cross their faces be is not
entitled to consideration or re-
spect. He said he never addresses
an audience like the one before
him as cattle and red-necks, and
then said that the terms first en-
tered this campaign when it was
used by Vardaman's floor manager
during the caucus. Referring to
his record in congress, he said he
did not tear the top off the white
house nor repeal or amend single
constitutional amendment, but did
his best in an humble way to faith
fully represent Mississippi. Said
be had been assigned, among 9th
ers, to two important committees,
committee on agriculture and com
mittee on revision of laws. On the
former committee he had, with
three colleagues, succeeded in get
ting an increase of $4,000 in the
appropriation for reclaiming swamp
lands. On the other, be had, with
others, succeeded in re-opening
the court of claims and got favor
able decision on war claims in Mis-
sissippi alone amounting to S3,-
100000, and in doing so he didn't
quote a single line of poetry.
The speaker said that he made
the first speech in the U. S. senate
against the pension bill and helped
defeat it. He also made the first
speech on the Democratic side
against the Sutherland amendment
to the bill for the election of sena-
tors by the people, the amendment
providing federal control of cleo
tions. Mr.. Percy said that he was
interrupted in his speech on this
question, and said that a senator
can't tell the one who interrupts
that he is opposed to joint debates,
He said if the records of the late
governor are not explained he is
fit for prison, not the U. S. senatei
that the people of Mississippi will
not honor dishonor. He said the
amendments question was simply
a means upon which to ride tc
Washington, after which it would
be hitched on the outside. He said
that the people of Mississippi
gained white supremacy in 187.
and 1890 without Vardaman's aid
land that as long as the white mer
of the south say it shall, it vii
last.