The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1911-07-28

open than any election you have voted
in during the last twenty years. They |
voted by ballot just as you will vote |
in the approaching primary, except
hat the voting was done in the open |
md not in a booth and they were not |
required to keep their votes secret as
the law requires in general elections. !
Then why call it a SECRET CAUCUS?
The caucus was strictly according to
democratic precedent, regardless of
our individual views as to voting by
word of mouth.
Was the caucus "rotten?" That
intimation came before the adjourn
ment of the legislature, and the full
est investigation did not develop a
single fact showing or tending to show
that the vote of a single legislator
was changed by undue influence. The
anyone doubling the truth of the
statement, may see the truth of the
matter for himself, No man has ever
pointed out any testimony showing
that any member so changed his vote.
The most partisan speakers and pa
pers have never specified the man,
the charge or the facts in any case.
Specifications call for proof; and you
have seen and will see none so long
as the proof is lacking.
Now gentlemen, in the face of
record and showing such as related,
partisan press and partisan speak
ers. have cried out rotten secret ca,l-
GUS" made general charges Of cor
ruption and debauchery, involving the
whole legislature, many in authority,
yea, you may say the whole state, and
sown them broadcast throughout the
state and country. The charges have
all been of a general nature with no
specification of names, offenses or
| facts: and much acrimony and bitter
ness have been engendered and in
! truded into the campaign. If the
charges had sufficient foundation to
bring some guilty party to justice,
some good would be accomplished by
them but instead of that the fair
name of the state has been be-
smirched and bedraggled in the mire
politics. Many men have been there
by melted to blindness and madness.
These proofless charges are respon-
sible for much of the shame and re-
proach that has been heaped upon the
state. 1t will require years regard
less of who is elected to cool down to
the normal condition where our peo
pie can regard themselves brethren
of a common country with a common
interest. That condition can never
return until such campaign methods
are discontinued.
You may remember too that such
is the method of campaigning by those
who say they will discuss principles
and not men and believe in ones
standing on his own merits and no
the dement's of his opponent. Yol
can scarcely cross the street withou
hearing men denouncing the yer!
methods they themselves have EN-
ployed from the very beginning.
Vardaman In the Caucus.
But back to the caucus. Mr.. Val
daman is the only man who game
votes before the caucus. Those or
posed to him started with 101 vote
| and dropped to SO, while he starte
[ with 50 and climbed to 80. How doe
3 that strike you for fraud, undue Unfit
ence, debauchery, when it is remen
{ bered that it requires less influence
t retain friend than to win an enemy
e Who exerted the greater influenc
n over that caucus? | do not mean Ill
n fairly.
e Who Used The Liquor?
e There is one other general charg
|
It record fails to indicate that any mer
e ber's vote was unduly influence
o thereby. If any voter wants to pu
It ish some one because liquor was use
c. then he must, to follow the logic
IL his position, vote for Alexander, II
e, he used no liquor and no one hi
lie charged him with using it. Now,
e. do not believe in the use of liqu
TO anywhere, and the sad fact is M
i'd have used 1t since the dawn of h
tory. II we have ever had a legisl
ture composed entirely of men W.
is did not drink, never heard of
he Liquor is found in almost every poll
tie cal gathering, and If its presence
p proof Of bribery and corruption, tn
AS,