East Mississippi times. (Starkville, Miss.) 19??-1926, 1911-05-19
JOHN ALLEN MAKES REPLY.
Writes Open Letter in Answer to the
Recent Effusion From DR.. B. F.
Ward.


10 has written the following open
letter in reply to a recent commu-
nication from DR.. b. +. Ward in
which the latter rushed to the de-
Tense of Ex-Governor J. X. Var
daman:
TupeIo, Miss. May l3, 1911.
Dear sir:
| see you have undertaken to do
for Major Vardaman that which he
did not care to undertake to do
for himself, that is make reply
to my open letter of April 25th.
1t is generally understood that
yon are not only the most Jealous
but also far and away, the most
learned, brilliant and powerful of
the somewhat limited coterie of
men of intellect and culture who
support his pretentions.
In fact, you are recognized as
furnishing the brain to the Varda-
man propaganda. And it is well
known that to you, Bran, and In
gersoll he is indebted for most of
his thunder,
| am sure that you haye done as
well as it was possible to do, in
your attempted reply. AS an eva
sion of the one great issue present
ed by my letter and as an attempt
to becloud that issue by attacking
and disparaging me, it is not with
out merit. But it amounts to a
Of Vardaman's guilt of
official, malversation and of illegal
and corrupt diversion of public
moneys to his personal use.
Tempting as it would be ordi-
narlly for me to engage in u dis
cussion about my own merits and
demerits for the present | must
decline to be diverted from a dis
cussion of the issue presented to a
discussion of my own record and
character. They are not an issue
in Mississippi politics in this year
of grace, 1911. Though | can
well understand how glad you
would be to make them so.
Two Vardaman men were heard
discussing my letter after it came
olt. Ii was agreed that Vartla.
man must either accept my chal-
leng. or q counter attack must be
made on me. He lacked the nerve
to taNe the first course, you have
undertaken the latter, bat It can
no avail. | am going to try to
h id yon to the real issues, that is,
Va. daHlan's worthiness or I'M.
W lthln' S, to represent MiSSi ssippi
in the United States senate.
rs | am SAID to be back NUM-
her and Il dead duck, my character
lMd record can only hr Of Interest
rs u ma:;er ot history.
When We are through with Var
i mnn'S case, | will, with p'caSl:ie
N cj You or any OF his pack, nnd
rcmnarp ,ccolda For clnrurl T. and
patriotic public services. hul iu,
he Z eit, W,lttrvpr HaF hp my
:1ailures und Sholtcuuliny4, / an
'oltent TO leave to the sober dis.
p ,Ssicnate judgment of my fellow
citizens. In this connection | will
add that, hov ever low | may have
SINK in the esti Natiun OF Yourself
and your projege, Major Narda-
man, ! am r0nSolrd ny the rchec-
ton that for long tine after my
political career had closed and !
had ceased t. I've the Clown of
Congress" or he "Eing : Jester" i"
| enjoyed Il large measure of tile
confidence and esteem tf You both.
Until it ecume known that John
Allen did rot consider Jumes X
Nlrdanan aS worthy to represent
Mississippi in the senate of Tie
United States, both this gentleman
himself and his mentor thought
the same a len to hc u gentlemaM.
a a rot and statcsmau. ''.F W
In fact, / will lisl: be de-.