The Washington herald., 1914-06-07
Senator Vardaman Tells Why
a Fat Ok Is His Political
Trademark, and Also Why
He Toted a Sword in
1898.
By JAMES d. MORROW.

otuwardly, at least. William J. Bryan
never shows that oensure causes MIN
any ANNOYANCE. His face IL always so
rene and his manner is always cordial
.tThe world" he seems to say in his
bearning way. goes well with me
toI6 him when he was being criticised
for leaving the State Department for
the Chautauaua circuit that his lectures
were really sermons, and that he might
fnd consolation in the thought that he
was doing good.
81 deliberately announced that was
lecturing because 1 wanted to earn
money" he replied. III I had explained
thai / believed my lectures were help
T,I 10 the cause Of Christianity, some
nersons would have thought and some
editors would have said that I was not
sincere"
persons who have travelled with Mr..
Brysn say he has such complete control
Of his nerves that he can lie down any
time and any place and 60 to sleep at
once The habit of dropping to sleep
ouickly,'' he said to me during one Of
our conversations, 'is very necessary
when one is campaigning over the coun-
,rv In 1885 was at q hotel in Chicago
when I heard that had been nominated
for President. hadn't shaved that day,
and so. while the committee was on the
yyay to the hotel, went downstairs to
the barber shop. The barber, I remem-
her was alarmingly nervous. I feared
that he might accidentally do some DAM
age to my face. but once in his chair.
with my legs on the rest, i recolect
very distinctly that I took short nap"
II try not to worry" Mr.. Bryan told
me on another occasion. Physically he
is a robust man. He is five feet and ten
inches in stature, and his shoulders are
thick and square His winter sport is
rabbit hunting.
7 was never above a poor average in
athletics" he said. except in Jumping.
A year or two after my graduation. l
returned to Illinois College and was given
a watch chain for standing jump of
twelve feet and four inches"
Which reminds me-" J said, that
man told me he was present when you
won a prize OF SO at Galesburg for being
second best in an intercollegiate ora
torical contest and that he understood
you spent the money for a ring which
you gave to Miss Baird. who soon after |
that became Mrs. Bryan"
THE facts are about right" Mr.. Bryan |
answered. but the figures are wrong. I
won $50 and invested a part of It in an |
engagement ring, but it cost more than |
80.
Vardaman the big white Chief" |
Down in MISSISSIPPI notably IN the |
hills James X. Vardaman. the Senator |
In Congress. is known as the Big White |
thief" A fat OK is his political trade |
mark. l asked him TO elucdate.
LEROY Percy. rich man." he said, |
was running against me for Senator. |
Ne spoke disrespectfully OF my candi- |
dacy at one Of mis- meetings. My friends I
objected. They composed most of the |
audience. Made considerable noise, |
reckon. Then Percy lost his temper and |
called them cattle. At that my friends |
began to below like real cattle and paw
I'd the ground.
The language Of Percy ran all over
the State from mouth to mouth. I didn't /
object My friends called themselves cat
tie. red-necks and hiIl-billies. A hill
billie lives in a los-cabin on high ground
and raises corn and shoat or two.
Hill-billies are plain men. but they can
neither be purchased nor over-awed.