The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1917-12-06
HARRISON REFUTES
STACKER ACCUSATION
Volunteered His Services to
President i'm Any Capacity.

IlOu eNtr SlNCL CdlluludIC III hoC-
tiesburg surpassed that accorded the
Hon. p. B. Harrison here tonight.
Mr.. Harrison spoke in the audito-
rum of the Y. M. C. A., and people
were being turned away long before
the hour of the speaking.
There was no mistaking the senti-
ment of the people of Hattiesburg
and Forrest county. Frequent
cheers interrupted the speaker, and
he was given ovations both before
and after his address.
Yelled thrusts at his patriotism
and honor by papers friendly to Sen
atOr Jas. X. Vardaman were foiled
by the representative of the Sixth
Mississippi congressional district
and candidate for the United States
senate for the place now held by
Senator Vardaman.
Accordig to Mr. Harrison some OF
the papers supporting Senator Var
daman had charged that he was a
Stacker. and that he had not offered
''his services, his fortune and his
life, if need be, at the feet OF the
nation"
Mr.. Harrison read two letters
which had passed between President
Wilson and him in this matter. He
read a letter written to the president
on the day that war was declared,
Offering to shoulder the gun and take
his place in the trenches, despite the
fact that he has a wife and three
children. He exhibited reply, in
which the president reminded him
that it would be unwise and mex
pedient to create vacancies in the
house of representative at the most
critical time of the nations history.
The tenor of the letter was to the
effect that Mr.. Harrison was more
badly needed in Washington than IN
France.
''Some of the few newspapers that
are still supporting the junior sena-
tor have been very much concerned
of late because [ am not in the
trenches in France, or some other
place far removed from Mississippi.
So exercised have they become over
the matter that they have misrepre-
sented me and criticized me most Sc
verely.
Here Is a sample of the criticism
that is being aimed at me and which
is. taken from an article that has
been going the rounds of the Varda-
man press:
" Has any one heard of even a
gentle hint that Pat had offered
himself upon the altar of his coun-
try to make the world free for
democracy: Well, not so you could
notice it. No, the records do not
show nor will they show anywhere
or at any time that Mr.. Harrison
has come to his country and laid
his services, his fortune and his life,
if need be, at her feet, although
possessing as he does, splendid phys
zeal as we'll as mental qualifications. !"
81 want to keep herecord straight
as we go along in this campaign, and
| am sure that is the desire of the
friends Of the junior senator, al
though they would no doubt prefer
that his record be mentioned and
discussed as little as possible. In
order to do this, I feel that it is
necessary for me to read you letter
that | wrote the president the day
he signed the waPresolution, and his
reply thereto. When [ wrote the
letter to the president | told no one,
not even my wife, about it. dis
like to make this correspondence
public now, and would not do so
were it not for the unwarranted i'm
pugning of my loyalty and patriot
ism by the junior senator and some
of his alarmed friends.
Il read you the letters:
Letter to President Wilson.
April 6,1917.-Hon. Woodrow
Wilson, the White House: My Dear
Mr.. President: In our controversy
with the imperial German govern
ment your every step has met my
most sincere approval. Those of us
who unstintingly and loyalty CO.
operated with you know how pa
tiently and earnestly you strived to
maintain peace.
1t is war now, and because
stood with you in trying to preserve
peace with honor, and having failed
| want to do what I can for my
country in this emergency.
My situation is somewhat diff
ferent from that of many, if not
most, of my colleagues. Some of
them opposed the war resolution;
was strongly in favor of it. Some of
them are too old for military duty.
I am young and healthy and able to
bear my part.
While am married and have
three little ones, | do not want that
to stand in the Wav of nv dIlfy tO