The Washington herald., 1913-03-26

| Gov. Nardaman now Senator IRON
Mississippi. goes about blowing flames OF
phosphorus from his nostrils. flashing
his eyes like twin spotlights, hating
negroes and eternally in search OF q
fight.
But each of these particulars falls to
coincide with the facts.
Says Ssnator Vardaman: Il keenly
dislike fist-: yet my life has been just
4 series OF fights. 1t seems IS II no
| matter what cause I espouse, or what
| opinion / express. everybody else. i'm
inediately feels called uron 10 rise up
and TAX. the opposite view. III venture
, TO say that IL went to a Sunday school
| convention and got up and reed the
decalosue. some fellow would promptly
stanG up and contradict it"
The man looks pcaccable enough. for
all the o.Idi:y of his hair, which is worn
like that of the o1d-time musical COM
posers, almost long enough in the back
TO braid His face is ruddy. and there Is
ood-humored look about his light
brown eyes that reminds one of the late
Bob Taylor.
He wears a dark frock coat. white vest.
and white string tie Place him on a horse
and he will attract attention even in
Washington. where one sees all kinds.
Riding horseback IS one OF the best things
that he does. He rode horseback all the
way from Texas, where he was born. to
the family's new home in Mississippi
when ne was seven years old.
Another thing Vardaman does well is
f1Owery talk. Even in everyday CONVEX
sation 1t is difficult for him to stick to
ordinary language. II he wished TO ask
a friend for a match he probaly would
refer TO the light a a sulphur-tipped frag-
nent of the mighty pine felled in one of
Gods sun-kissed forests, or something
Ike that He likes to discuss things that
happened away back in the morning of
time" or in the lap of the ages"
A number of years ago. when varda-
man WAS elected 1. the Mississippi Legis-
lature, he made up his mind that he
would he Speaker OF the House. then Gov
ernor and finally United States Senator.
He did all these things. but not in brisk
order. a. he IL always defeated for an Of
fice the first time he runs. He was de
feated for the State Legislature. and the
next time got it without opposition. Then
he was defeated for Speaker of the House.
and the next time was elected by unani-
nous vote. He ran twice for Governor
before he was finally elected, and John
Sharp Williams beat him for the United
States Senatorship. Now that he and
Williams are both here, the State OF Mis-
sissippi can brag about having the mast
picturesque representation in the Senate.
Postmaster General Burleson was the
victim a few years ago of a newspaper
error that cost him about $3.50. Nat
urally he was so mad that he earnestly
desired TO MAIN. cripple. and kill some
body responsible. The fact that he and
the erring newspaper man are now
great friends shows that the new head
of the postal system is first of all a
man of human instincts who can forgive
and let live.
When the government bought the old
Pennsylvania Railroad station property
in Washington. the purchase included a
high iron fence. BurlesOn, who was on
the Appropriations Cou:rnittee. bought
the fence for private use. intending to
send 1t down to Austin, Tex. and put il
around some property he owned there.
The newspaper man referred to got the
impression that Burleson was a philan-
thropist and was going to give the fence
to a Texas town 70 go around It's fine
new courthouse. That was the story he
sent out. and Burleson was obliged TO
make good on it. The cost OF the fence.
along with the freight. amounted to $500
or so. and naturally he didn't feel at all
chubby toward the enterprising young
But the latter apologized
with such humility that Burleson began |
to feel sorry for him and became his |
steadfast friend. Also. he came around |
10 the view that the thing was a first |
rate joke on him.
Even an automobilious mishap in the |
night season nay have its sunny side |
tucked away somewhere. Take the cas- |
If former Representative Sweet of |
Michigan. for example. As readers of |
his highly moral and instructive column |
nay recall. Sweet and William c. Red |
leld, now Secretary of Commerce. were
in Michigan last fall when |