Evening star., 1912-03-10
DECLINES TO RESIGN R0JAS SEXES FU|
Senator Percy Replies to the Juarez Branch of Mexica
Mississippi Legislature. tionaI Bank Looted.
MAKES BITTER CHARGES SUPPLY OF FOOD LIN
Accuses Members of Flsehood and Railway Operating Between
Malignant Hatred City and Torreon
WILL SERVE OUT HIS TERM TROOP TRAINS PASS OVER
feated in Primaries That Bridges-Isolated American
Elected Vardaman Velardena Reported Safe
Percy Replies to the
Mississippi Legislature.
MAKES BITTER CHARGES
Accuses Members of Falsehood and
Malignant Hatred.
WILL SERVE OUT HIS TERM
Denies He Promised to Retire If De-
feated in Primaries That
Elected Vardaman.

Senator LIE Roy Percy has responded to
the Mississippi legislatures demand that
he resign by fatty declining to do SO. He
has sent his answer in a spirited letter
which rings with accusations of coward
ice, falsehood and malignant factional
hatred.
Senator Percy replies that when. just
after his election. he offered to resign
his unexpired term If a primary were
held in 1910 to name his successor, he
limited his proposition to that year, and
not 1911, the year in which primary
finally was held.
Senator Percy begins by stating that
the legislature has not questioned his
election nor his acts in the Senate, but
has negatively admitted their validity.
He brands as false the statement that he
had promised to resign if not elected in
the primaries which elected Vardaman;
and as grotesquely absurd the contention
that having been defeated in the primary
which elected his successor, he should re-
sign.
The primary which he proposed in 1910
never was held, Senator Percy says. He
declares that he never did state that he
would resign if not elected in the 1911 pri-
mary, but on the contrary declared from
fifty stumps'' that whatever the outcome
of that primary he would serve until
March 4, 1918.
Senator Percy's Letter.
Senator Percy's letter follows:
washington, March 8, 1872
ITO the senate and house of representa-
tives of the state of Mississippi:
Il am today in receipt of your resolu-
tion of March ), 1912. Your demand is
that resign the seat In the United States
Senate, which l did not receive at your
hands. but to which a former legislature
elected me.
You do not in any way question the
fairness of my election to the Senate.
you negatively admit that l was fairly and
honOrably elected: you do not allege that
by word spoken or vote cast been untrue
to the people Of Mississippi; you negative
ly say that / have been faithful to the
trust committed to me. You assign as
the reasons for your resolution, first, that
during the primary campaign for the Sen
ate, held to name my successor, pledged
myself to resign my unexpired term II
not elected In that primary; second, that
do not represent the people and should
not serve out the term for which | was
elected.
: The first statement is utterly false; the
second 8rOteSQueiy dOSuT0.
His Offer to Retire.
After my election, in a speech before
the legislature, l urged that the primary
to name my successor be held in 1910. in
stead of 1911, and as an inducement to
my opponent to consent to such extra
ordinary primary, offered to resign my
unexpired term il defeated in such pri-
ovA tn, hot he
language you quote and by specific Ian
guage, too plain for miscOnstructiOn, linn
tied the offer to such extraordinary pri-
mary if it should be held.
and such offer became imperative. 1
never referred to the question of re-
signing again, except to mention the
offer made by me in that speech, and
to quote the language there used; in no
public or private utterance during the
campaign did l ever state that l would
resign if not elected in the primary
Of 1911; but on the contrary from
more than fifty stumps stated that
whatever may be the outcome Of this
primary, ], together with my colleague,
John Sharp Williams. will represent
Mississippi in the United States SEN
ate until March. 1919 Any statement
to the contrary is utterly false and
every member Of your honorable body
voting for the resolution voted for and
thereby gave utterance to a deliberate
and unqualified falSehoOd.
"As to the second ground Of your
resolution that one defeated in a race
to succeed himself should resign his
unexpired term; even you doubtless
know that no such doctrine of recall
Is in existence anywhere; under it the
thousands defeated annually in politi-
cal contests would not be permitted to
serve out the terms for which they
were elected: thus tenure Of Office
would not be fixed by the terms for
which h,,t nv ho
result Of the election for the succeed
ing term.
Challenged Investigation.
But you passed your resolution with
! no expectation that 1t would be obeyed
| You well know that self-respect alone
would render such obedience impos-
sible. The resolution Is your reply to
the speech in the United States Sem
| ate delivered by me in December in
which l challenged you to request an
investigation into my election by the
| United States Senate. stating that /,
majority OF your body had been elected
| members OF the legislature by the in
dustrious circulation Of false charges
| in regard to my election and that If
you dared ask such an investigation. or
| TO state that single vote had been
dishonesty cast for me, an investiga-
| tion would be held and the falsity of
| such charges exposed.
| Not daring to ask the investigation or
TO make an allegation which might lead
to 1t. you passed this resolution. born
of malignant factional hatred, merely in
tended as a gratuitous insult to me. Re-
gardless alike Of truth and Of the interest
OF the state you represent. desiring to
perpetuate partisan strife and to wound
me. you were willing to impair or destroy
my ability to serve that state In the
United States Senate. Your resolution
cannot injure me, but your action should
strip you OF the respect Of every decent.
patriotic Mississippian.
Will Disregard Resolution.