The Columbus commercial. (Columbus, Miss.) 1893-1922, 1916-05-07
RUMoR SAYS HE WILL 30
PffTED AZ rST WHITE
cHIff z IN RACE
SEVERAL PAPERS
MAX COMMENTS
Bilox, Hef Says There Is
No Reason Why Governor
Should Not Enter Contest.

The belief that Theodore g. biibo
will be candidate against james K.
Nardaman for his seat IN the United
States Senate seems to be daily
growing IN strength. and the Clarks-
dale correspondent Of the Laurel
Ledger has recently sent his
paper a communication in which the
situation is suceinctly reviewed
The correspondent quotes from sew
eral Mississippi newspapers, notable
among them being The Issue. which
is controlled by Bilbo and which is
therefore generally regarded as his
official mouthpiece. The article pub
lished in the Ledger follows;
Every now and then the rumor
gains circulation that the governor
will enter the senatorial race against
Vardaman, but no word to this eff
feet has been vouchsafed by the
governor. In fact he is silent on this
question and when asked by his
friends as TO whether it is his inten-
ton TO make the race, he shrugs
his shoulders and smiles and says:
LET them (meaning the public)
guess"
But the probabilities are that Gov.
Bilbo will run for the United States
Senate against James X. Vardamau.
because there is no reason why he
should not. Bilbo is under no obliga-
tions to Vardaman least not TO
that extent where it is visible to
the public eye, the senator remain
ing extremely quiet during the last
election in which Bllbo Was roughly
handled by his opponents.
II there is any obligation between
The two il rests on Vardaman. for
|, it was a Herculena work Bilbo did
for him when he went over the
state in his so-called exposure of
the secret caucus. Bilbo may not
have elected Vardaman but he eer-
tainly contributed more to his polit-
ical success than any other man in
Mississippi.
The Biloxi Daily Herald says
there is no reason why Bilbo should
not run against Vardaman while
there are reasons why he should
He is young, ambitious and polit-
ically popular and if he makes
success of his administration he
will be one Of the strongest men in
.he state. He will in all probable
ity run, because there is nothing
else left Tor him 10 do if he would
make politics career. But per-
haps the overmastering reason is
that he can meet Vardaman on any
stumping ground. give him as much
as he will receive and in all likeli-
hood come out victorious.
No man would deliberately turn
his back on the United States SEN
ate. and that is precisely what Gov
ernor Bilbo would do were he to re-
fuse to enter the race four years
hence.
Now, let us see IL there is any
thing on which can be hinged pre-
ilction that Bilbo will be eandi-
date when the time comes to make
the race.
The Issue, published in Jackson,
admittedly speaks for the govern
or, and in the last number is found
the following editorial
Woodrow Wilson has spoken ike
a man; he reflects the American
character in his address to Congress
on the German crisis and the Amer
lean people rejoice that this kind Of
man is at the head Of their govern
lment. The President has acted
throughout this controversy with
| Germany with rare patience, pru-
dece and consideration he has done
nothing precipitately or for the sake
of making a noise; he has not been
| influenced by elamor of anyknd;
he has given no thought whatever
to any incident Of political expe-
ldiency; he has earnestly sought the
way of right and justice and hu-
manity, and if this has led to a
crisis, then the American people
are ready to meet it whatever the
cost.
"The nation, in its international
relations must reflect the character