Goldsboro weekly argus., 1915-01-21
TELLS VARDAMAN
WHERE TO GET OFF
North CarOlinian Says Wilson Is AS
Much Part Making Body
as congressman.


mons bawled out Senator Vardaman
of Mississippi today and told him
where he stood in Washington. He de-
clared that the Mississippian had been
tired of the things the Democrats
had been doing in Washington ever
since he got here.
The controversy between Messrs.
Simmons and Vardaman arose while
the Tar Heel was urging the Demo-
Gratis to stand together and put
through the Democratic legislative
program Mr.. Simmons said that it
was time to stop forcing prohibition
to the front to delay appropriation
bills.
"If prohibition was the question be-
fore the Senate, l would not stand
against it, said Senator Simmons.
"There has not been a time in my life
when l was not ready and willing to
vote for prohibition. l am willing to
put my record on that question against
that of any other Senator.
Shortly after l came to the Sen
ate, and while yet chairman of the
Democratic committee, believing as |
did that there was strong public
sentiment in North Carolina in favor
of prohibition, feeling strongly myself
in favor of that great measure looking
to the up1ift of the people, l prepared
a bill providing absolute rural prohi-
bition and municipal local option in
my State. l gave it to member of
the Legislature and asked him to in
troduce it and state on the floor that
I drafted it, and, as chairman of the
Democratic Executive Committee, # l
had the power to do so, 1 would place
the Democratic party behind it. It'll
was adopted and worked we'll.
At the next session l drafted an
other bill providing against the manu-
facture Of liquor except in corporated
towns of 1000 inhabitants. l handed
it to another member of the Legisla-
ture and told him to state to the Leg-l
islature that l had drafted it. This
was adopted.
81 then submitted the question of
sale and manufacture Oh liquor in
North Carolina, and that too carried.
I was one of the chief advocates of
prohibition in my State. | will help
the Senator from Texas get prohibition
for the District of Columbia, but l do
not think that his rider on the ap-I
preparation bill should carry.
"The Senator from Texas should |
have taktn the regular course to get
his bill before the Senate" asserted
that it had been before Senate COM
mittet since last April. Why did not
he urge action by the committee or
move to have the committee to |
have the committee discharged from
further consideration? l would gladly |
have joined him.
Senator James K. Vardaman, Of Mis- |
sissippi, staunch prohibitionist, be-
came restless.
81 want to say, if the Senator will |
pardon me- began Mr.. Vardaman,
"that | am getting a little bit tired of |
being criticised for doing something |
that l did not receive orders, or rath- |
er permission to do, from the so-called |
leaders on this side. l am exercising |
my right, as is the Senator from Tex
IS, as a Senator to move an amend
ment which we believe to be quite as |
important to American people as the |
ship subsidy bill or any other item in |
the program"
'tThe Senator from Mississippi" re-
sponded Senator Simmons, has been
tired ever since he came here of what |
ever anybody else is doing that he did
not agree with, even with the White |
House.
cit is a matter of Indifference to me
what the Senator from North Carolina |
said,'' asserted Mr.. Vardaman.
In closing Senator Simmons made |
an appeal for concerted party action. |
He denounced those who critised the j
President for taking an active interest
in congressional matters
1--WE may sneer if we want to at the |
rights Of the Executive with reference
to legislation and his power" said /
Senator Simmons. "He not only has |
rights and power, but he has respon-
sibi1ity in connection with legislation |
just as weighty and probably weight
ier than those. The President is as |
much a pa of the law-making body |
as we are