The Tupelo journal., 1911-07-28
SENATOR PERCY
ASSALS YARDAMANISM
SAYS HE is MORALLY RESPONSIBLE
FOR ROSE HILL INCIDENT.
The Senator Speaks BEFORE a Large
Crowd-Campaign Issues Re-
viewed.

ASSuSS Nv
viewed.
Corinth, Miss, July 1.-THE crowd
was so great today to hear Senator
Leroy Percy that the court house was
wholly inadequate, SO the senator mount
ed a wagon in the court house yard
and spoke for two hours to a delighted
audience.
He explained the term Cattle and
fred necks," went largely into an ac-
count of his stewardship, speaking OF
his efforts in restricting Objectionable
immigration, his interest in and help
given by him to agricultural laws, say
ing that every dollar that he had ever
made was invested III Mississippi dirt;
his opposition to iniquitous pension bills
and his success in blocking such legis-
lation; his advocacy of cotton claims,
in which every farmer is interested;
explained his vote against the amend
ment of selection OF senators by the
people, which gave the United States
government control of same. He dwelt
upon the white mans ability to handle
the negro, as they are doing, without
the repeal of any amendment.
After reading an editorial from the
kosciusko Star Ledger, closing with
the paragraph, "Te our way OF think
ing a great wrong has been perpetrated
against the people of Mississippi, and
may eliminate in bloodshed at the polls,
for one thing may be depended upon,
the Vardaman forces are going to see to
it that they have a free ballot and a
fair count, peaceably if they can, forcibiy
if they must" and the endorsement OF
the editorial by Vardaman in his Issue,
and commenting at some length upon
such an appeal being made by a leader
to his followers in a heated campaign,
Senator Percy said that "the object OF
the TRADE was to prevent the election
commissioners charged with the duty OF
purging the pollbooks from performing
that duty, but declared that these Off
GERS would observe their Oatns and do
their duty, thew to the line, let the
chips fall where they may" and that
the qualified voters of the state would
say who should be their officers and
their senator, and there would be no
bloodshed at the polls.
He then referred to the stabbing OF
the officer at Rose Hill as follows:
Speaking of ~bloodshed, made q
speech two or three weeks ago at Rose
Hill, in Jasper county, to a large audi
ence of men and ladies, at an outdoor
gathering. Standing on the outskirts
of the crowd there were four men who
attempted to break up the meeting.
They interrupted me, ~whooping and yell
ing like coyotes. said to them, Men,
if you wish to ask me questions, conn
around in front of me, and face me ike
men. | will answer any questions that
YOU ask. ] would rather have a hum
bred questions asked me than one lie
circulated about me with no chance OF
correcting it, and whenever treat with
contempt the questions OF the voters
of Mississippi or am afraid to answer
them, [ shall cease to ask them for their
votes. They continued their noise and
interruptions. | then said to them: III
YOU think this audience wishes TO hear
you talk, come up here and take this
stand. | will give my time to you.
They replied by continued yelling and
Interruptions, to the evident annoyance
of the vast audience who were intent
upon hearing the speech. An officer,
a special deputy sheriff, as was after
ward informed, approached them, and as
he laid his hand ON II of the men the
man struck at him. The officer knocked
him down. The brother OF the man ran
bentad him and plunged IA knife into his
back. As he fell he stabbed him again
and again.
"Nho was responsible for that deed
of violenceg Was it that poor boy with
his mind filled with prejudice and dis
torted with hatred | arraign before
the bar OF public opinion, the greatest
tribunal that ever sat in any case, James
X. Vardaman as being morally, mark
you, morally responsible for this deed
of violence. This is a grave charge to
make against a man running Tor the
high office of United States senator. Ii
is a charge that a good man don't make
unless he can substantiate it. If true,
it should strip Vardaman of the support
of the decent citizenship of Mississippi.
If it is a false charge, | don't deserve
that support.
| will risk my good name, character
and office upon my ability to uphold
the charge. Three years ago this month
V~ardaman, in his Issue, approved of the
tactics of the tobacco night riders of
Kentucky, who posted, whipped, burned
and murdered to put up the price of to-
bacco, and suggested the adoption OF
these methods by the Farmers Union
of Mississippi to put up the price OF
cotton. Throughout this campaign he
has, in his paper and public speeches,
abused in unmeasured terms every con-
stituted authority Of the law. He has
charged the governor with being q thief,
q member of the supreme court with be-
ing corrupt, has charged that the courts
and juries were corrupt and ~debaucned,
that the legislature was corrupt, that
the election commissioners appointed
under the law were dishonest. He has
..oc.noIv tocu1cofod cnntompf for all