The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1911-03-17

know l An going to have some fights,
and [ am just getting my courage up,
and learning the lick and practicing what
l am going to say" Can it be pos
sible that the ma ior is practicing Just
to learn the lick and to get his courage
up for the debates he cannot avoid
should he get to the senator For be-
lieve me, he will never have a fight on
that muster ground all by himself. Or,
can it be that the major feels that as
against me he has an advantage in his
newspaper which he is not willing to
yield? He has canvassed the state sev-
eral times. He has a host of former
ofice-holdcrs whom he appointed, some
of whom may think that the office car
ried not merely an obligation to serve
the state faithfully, but some obligation
to serve MIN personally. Those are ad-
vantages to which he is entitled, but
when in the newspaper, which is his
personal organ, and now is merely a
campaign bulletin, he stigmatizes, be-
Titles, or derides an opponent and then
refuses to meet him on the stump, l re.
peat, it is not a fair and manly course.
To circulate reflections on another in this
way and among those who may have no
chance to hear a reply may be fair in
the sense that in politics, like war, every.
thire, is fair, but it is not fair according
to amy code of manly southern men.
Had he wen lived up to his own utter.
ances and professions and abstained from
decrying me or my supporters in his
paper he might have justified his course
with some; but, since he conducts a one
sided debate in his newspaper, and in it
discusses my record and character, | am
sure | will be justified in varying at
least for this once my usual course
which has been not to metnion in my
speeches the name of an opponent. 1 do
not believe Major Vardaman has any
fear that l will in debate resort to abuse
or acrimonious personal discussion. For
thirty years I have been in joint debates
with my brethren of the bar without an
unkind word ever passing, AMI if that
and my course in the campaign thus far
are not guarantees against vituperation,
my own promise should be accented by
those who know me.
Aonther reason why it is unfair: For
thirty years of professional and semi.
public life in Mississippi, l never heard a
reflection on my sincerity or a slur OH
my reputation before 1 became a candi.
date against Major Vardaman. Before
that he was kind enough to call me "a
very able lawyer and a splendid Christian
gentleman" l thank him for this, but
since | have committed the unpardon.
able sin Of becoming a candidate for the
senate, his comments take another form
As a sample, he publishes and circulates
in The Issue of July 80, 1910, an ar
ticle deriding my religious professions
winch l have never obtruded and among
other things saying, that although l was
a church officer and a conspicuous mem
Der OF the Sunday school and the prayer
meeting, yet AFFILIATED politically will
mora, uereie's OF fnihstihes "h'
Win the heiier, dailied witt
me cnarms Oh dusky oamseis m con
hded IN cute and cunning deml.mondes
VINO we're unco weak ana little to b
trustedT h appears in the sam
issue In which Major Vardaman appeals
LOT a campaign free from personalities
In a recent number OF his paper HI
damns me with faint praise by calling
me a great moralist," with an inter
rogation point after 1t. l pass by thu
numerous articles referring to me as
demagogue, tor am not sure he appre
GATES the difference between a dema
gogue and a statesman. But he attacks
my sincerity IN this campaign by repeat
ing owe ana over IN MS paper the Sill!
nonsense that l am running merely u
heiP ahother man. lie rolls as a swee'
morsei tnat stupid stagger OF "itticisn
that cai!s me one OF the "Eoid Dus'
iwihs' Really l nave not yet Deer
aoie TO decide whetner ne Is attracte
10 thac simiie because the Uold Dns
TWINS oelng oiaeK express the m o
MS mental 'is'on' or wnether ne look
oeyohd the color 10 their work ior thel
business IS 10 ScOur mighty clean th'