The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1914-04-10
vARDAMAN'S BACKBONE is MADE
OF TRIPLE STEEL

of the republic, did not fear 20 oppose
the policy of the president whenever
they thought that The homer, integrity
and sovereignty of the nation requir-
ed them to do so.
In one of his species oppcSing
President Polk, Dan.eI Webster is
quoted as saying:
1.-The president, we are told, is I'M.
movable. We tremble before execu-
tive power The truth cannot be con-
cealed. We tremble before executive
power. Mr.. Polk will take no less
than this If we do not take this. the
kings anger may kindle, and he will
give us what is worse.
-down-his-footi
= I should be sorry, sir, very sor-
~. indeed, that we should entertain
more respect for the firmness of the
individual at the head of our govern
ment than we entertain for our own
f1rmness. He stands out against US.
Do we fear to stand out against him?
For one, do not 1t appears to me 10
be a slavish doctrine. For one, am
willing to meet the issue, and go 10
the people all over this broad land!
Senator Vardaman Of Mississippi
seems to be impelled and inspired by
the blood that tingled through the
veins of our earlier statesmen, and
despite the dispensing patronage and
mower of the executive, refuses TO
tremble before this power when he
thinks that to do so would be De-
travail of the creed of his party and
humiliating to the sovereignty of the
nation.
The following is sent out as a spe-
cial from Washington, though not by
the Associated Press:
Declaring that he cannot break
pledge to the people to follow Presi-
dent Wilson for canal tolls repeal"
and characterizing the presidents
message to congress as an "affront to
the intelligence and patriotism Of
every member of congress-" Senator
j. K. Vardaman, of Mississippi, has
given out a significant interview, says
the special. Among other things he
says:
81 was a member of the platform
committee of the Baltimore conven-
ton. This canal toll question was
considered carefully along with the
other planks in the platform, and it
was given the mature thought of the
convention, as much as any other
plank in the platform. After the con-
vention the president discussed and
approved it. Mr.. Bryan approved it.
The American people have approved
it, and now to ask democrats elected
on that platform to betray their con-
stitutents and violate instructions
given by. them in their votes at the
ballot box is asking little more than
my sense of right and loyalty to my
constituents will permit me to do.
"EmbezzIer o: Power"
81 have no more respect for the in
tegrity of a man who will violate
pledge made in the performance of
public function than / have for man
who accepts a bride to control his Of
fetal conduct. | agree with Mr.. Bry-
an that a man who would win office
on a platform and then violate it after
getting into office is an embezzler of
power, and guilty of crime OF as
great moral turpitude as soldier
who would betray his country in
time of war.
Il can not follow the president in
this instance. When he says that we
ought to reverse our action without
raising the question whether we are
right or wrong, and so once more de-
serve our reputation for generosity
and the redemption of every obliga-
ton without bubble or hesitation,
would direct his attention to the fact
that we can not be true to ourselves,
true to the voters of America, true to
our platform promises, and reverse
our action, without first obtaining
consent from those who sent US here
and commissioned us to perform the
functions of our respective places. It
isn't our province to be generous--we
are trustees Of a great power and
function, and we can only be just.
no~;A;on IndafanSihIA
1.-THE presidents position is abso-
lutely indefensible. I can understand
how men might dispute and differ on
the economic features of the ques-
ton. whether it be proper or expe-
dent to do this thing: but as to the
right of the United States to control
this canal there can be no question.
1.-THE proposition to yield to the die
tation of an Europeon power in this