Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1915-04-16
Clark Wlliams- VGrddnldn.

" AASA ANNASS SloiIiD SldI
at Jackson, the jackson News
says that Vardaman was invited
to be on the platform and to
make some Introductory remarks
concerning the distinguished Wis
itor; it continues:
This invitation was extended To
Senator Vardaman through Mayor
s j. Taylor, and declined. Just
a few minutes prior to the lecture
it was again extended through
Congressman Percy E. Quinn, and
again declined.
Three members of the Mississip.
pi delegation, Messrs. Collier, Quin
and Sisson, journeyed all the way
to Jackson to be present at the
lecture and extend to Speaker
Clark a welcome to the state.
They were present on the Century
stage during the lecture.
Senator Vardaman, however,
who resides in Jackson, and who
literally tore his shirt at the Bal.
timore convention in behalf of the
eminent Missourian, would not ap,
pear on the stage with him last
Tuesday night, and it was due to
the fact that he simply didn't
have the nerve to do so. He was
afraid that something might be
said about LOYALTY to party, true,
blue Democracy, or something of
that sort, and he didn't want any
audience to look on him as an ex.
ample of treason.
The plain truth is that since
Senator Vardaman has returned
from the national capital he has
been greeted by the Democrats of
jackson with a GOODNESS that
amounts almost to downright
snubbing. aud he is feeling it very
keenly. In a word. he is begin.
ming to realize that man holding
the high Office of United States
Senator from Mississippi cannot
turn traitor to the party that gave
him that honor without paying
the .nenalty. 49,.
1t is not true that Senator Var.
daman and Speaker Clark are es.
pecially "strong personal and pol
itical friends" as the Vicksburg
Post alleges. Vardaman support
ed Champ Clark at Baltimore, not
because of any especial fondness
for Clark, but because of his enmi
ty for W. J. Bryan, and, as usual
before the convention closed he
succeeded in making a large.sized
ass of himself, hurting the cause
of the Missourian much more than
he had helped him towards the
Presidency.
On the other hand, John Sharp
Williams and Champ Clark have
been intimate personal and polite.
al friends for twenty years, and
this friendship still exists despite
the fact that Mr.. Williams sun
ported Woodrow Wilson in the
Baltimore convention. Further
more, Mr.. Williams was acting
from party principle in that great
gathering. He believed thatWood-
row Wilson could be elected, if
nominated, and he did not believe
that the party would be victorious
with Champ Clark as the standard
bearer.
1t was John Sharp Williams who
made Champ Clark speaker of the
lower house, and there has never
been any cooling of the friendship
between them, Notwithstanding
the unhappy defeat of Mr.. Clark
at Baltimore. 1t was the desire
Of Speaker Clark that he be intro.
1uced in Jackson by Senator Will
liams, and the latter gladly came
from his Yazoo county farm for
that purpose.
There was no "ringing in ofsome
by Senator Williams,
IS alleged by the Evening Post. |
It is quite true that Mlssissippi's |
sblest statesman did give a splen-
lid definition of party loyalty, |
and the principles of common hon,
'sty, pointing to Champ Clark as
IN exemplar of both of these vir-
tues. If Senator Vardaman, or
sny other man in that audience,
tailed to measure up to the stand
srd as defined by Senator Will.
iams, it was the misfortune of
hat individual, and not the fault
IF the sneaker