The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1915-12-17
VARDAMAN ATTACKS PRESIDENT
ON MESSAGE TO CONGRESS.
OF the fiftY-six Democrats in the Senate Vardaman
Stands Alone in Assailine the Head of His Party.
Says President Has Swallowed His Words
Of One Year Ago.
The Senator furnishing Big Thunder for Republicans
to Use Against Democrats Next Year.

In signed statement given to the c
press day or two after President Will +
son delivered his message to congress I
Sen. Vardaman arraigned the Presi- {
dent in severe terms. After comment |
ing at length on the message of year ;
ago as contrasted with the last one, +:
Mr.. Vardaman says:
irony OF CIRCUMSTANCE. "
"It is the irony of circumstance that
the teachings of the Republican party
for a century should find fruition in a
Democratic administration.
''The consummation of the policy
which the President proposes will with
in twenty years, predict, find the
American taxpayer burdened with the
expense of a standing army and navy.
which. together with expenses incurred
in past wars, cost not less than S2O
per capita per annum. The President
has ingeniously concealed the enormity |
of the scheme by proposing that it will
increase the appropriation next year
only about one hundred millions of dol
lars. The people will not be mised by
a statement of that character.
"The fundamental objection to the
whole scheme is the beginning. When
the government once starts on this
strange. undemocratic path it requires
but limited vision to see the disas-
trous end. 1t is the old story over
again-history repeating itself.
MESSAGE DIsAPPoNTs HIM.
81 am greatly disappointed in that
part of the message which treats OF
preparedness. and yet it is no worse
than had right to expect. In my
Judgment, the whole scheme OF pre-
paredness,' as it is now understood. is
a crime against posterity- -subversive
of the genius of our government and
an outrage upon the wealth producers
OF America.
SIN the scope of the entire message
couched in such euphonious language,
scrupulously correct English and orna-
mented with rare figures of speech.
with the exception of the brief ref
erence to rural credits, there is not a
note of real sympathy for the to.!lng
millions, nor a ray OF nope to LEAD 70
better things for that large and re-
spectacle number of our population
who are today overwhelmed with pow
erty, even almost to despair. We are
in no danger of being attacked by any
foreign foe, said the President.
manity. why cannot this policy of pre-
paredness' be postponed until we have
made an effort to lead the world bach
into the paths of peace and render un
necessary preparedness? Why impose
this additional burden upon the aching
stoop' of the toiler when it is possiDl'
that the nations of the earth might b
induced to get along without the bur
den altogether? Why commit our gov
ernment to policy which will rende
it morally impotent in any effort
bring the world to disarmament!
LOSS OF GREAT OPPORTUNITY.
.If we shall follow the President /
this matter, the government OF Tn
United States will lose great oppol
tunity to serve humanity, an opportl
nity which seldom comes to grei
people. have no doubt whatever tns
after this war is over the depauperate
people of Europe will be glad to thro
off the burden Of preparedness, ar
instead of devoting the products
their toll to the maintenance OF arml'
and navies those pernlcious eeonom
narasites who live on the products
honest toil-and devote the fruits
their labors to the upbuilding OF II
waste places in their respective cou
tries. for the education and anchor
t;on of the conditions of their peop
and the uplift of humanity generally.
ssThose people will be tired OF wa
and if they are true to themselves,
am sure they will be, they will pu
- ish condignly the ambitious and co
sc;enceless rulers who lead them IN
tho vortex of death If the advice
GOOD Offices of our government Tor I
5romotion of international peace sh
be rejected by the nations OF EuroE
we shall have ample time then to ma
ali necessary preparation. ii, lndeed'
shall be necessary at all.
s.Jf the world is to be ruled IN the
ANNA hv the arbitrament of the sWort
- the I,mpirage of reason shall De q
,laved by the law of might, then
Tinted States will be in condition
hn;ld a dozen battleships where the
lions of Europe cannot build one; :.
w;ll he able to organize and MAINTAIN
DOZEN regiments where the impov
;shed countries of Europe would not
ahle to organize and maintain one.
would suggest to the Congress that
stead of rushing into this prepara.dMn,
business it might profit by the WI
Houses example and DO a httle Wa'
fuI waiting There is no necessity
haste-there is every prospect n
nuer aus of good to be derived from W
ing. and moving cautiously !" '''S
ri6ie matter" ... -
When asked what he thought OF
method of raising the necessary reVe
SEND. - do not care to 60 that far ye
Iii. Rmt will say that the pei
~ ot the South whom have the homo
"a renresent in part in the Senate are
;n pccnditien to Justify an r.s increase a',,a
taxation. m The loss Of thrse.auar a,n y,
of = billion dollars on the last two Ct