Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1918-03-07

general revenue bill: and Mr.. Vards-
man was severely eritieizec By the
p~ess at tire time for ~imPeolns gen
sral legislation He stood hitched,"
Just the same. and demanded unsnI-
nous consent and five hours for his
bin before he would permit unanimous
consent TO vote on the revenue bill.
GET the point right here. Neither bill
could be taken up without unanimous
consent Neither side could move a
peg without the other side consentinc.
The hour called for a man 20 stand
BY the people Of Mississippi" And the
junior senator OF Mississippi stood.
Stood In defiance Of the wishes and
the threats and the criticism OF lad.
rlnIstrstion ieaders''-amona whom
was the senior senator of MISSISSIPPI
who thought everything should give
way by their divineIy ordained pro
gram.
Unanimous consent having been
forced by Senator vardsman. and the
bill having the right of way for five
hours and no more. IL had TO be passed
before those five hours expire. or die.
About four and half Of the five hours
had expired when this western sena-
tor began 20 talk. He could talk thir-
~ minutes and Kill the bill; and he
had IL in his mind TO do SO. But an
other friend Of Senator Nardsmsn's
went over 10 this western man. and
while he vas speaking. said 70 him:
Don't fliibusfer: the bill has merit
in IL. and our friend varoamsn's heart
10 wrapped Up In Il; for mis- sake Ie;
the bill come 10 vote" And the man
who was speaking. looked down AZ
his friend, and then looked across the
chamber at vsrdaman. He paused in
hls remarks; studied Naroaman's
anxious face q moment. spoke just .
few more words. then took his seat
The vote was taken and the eil.
passsd. But for the personal friend
ship Of those two men for Senator
vardaman the vote would not have
been taken; the time limit would have
expired and the bill would have died.
That 10 the truth; and yet there are
men In Mississippi being deceived by
men who know better, into believing
that "vardaman has no Influence In
the senate; let's send a man there whs
can do somthIn'."
The Congressional Record dlselosss
the further fact: when the vote on
the flood control bill was taken and
the roll was called, among those re-
ported az mot voting" 10 the name
''vviilIams."
This measure, which, but for Ben
Humphreys and James X. vardsman
mover would have become a law, means
moro In dollars and cents. In security
TO life and property, to the people Of
the great valley Of the Mississippi.
than any measure that congress has
passed since the republic was formed.
Ia one form or another legislation OF
this character had been hanging fire
for years The people OF the Mlssis-
sippi valley had spent more than one
hundred million dollars for levees and
river Improvement. Taxes for main
tainlne Ievees were bearing heavily
upon them. a pleeemeai policy had
characterized the effort TO control
this great waterway that drains thirty
tswe states OF this republic. Millions
Of dollars Of property had been de-
stroyed; thousands of lives lost on 40
count Of the floods. The plan under
this bill 10 one Of efficiency. II pro-
vIdes for the expenditure Of approxi-
watsly nine million dollars q year for
five years. 20 improve the river along
this great stretch Of country, and build
ievees that will hold. II Is piece OF
constructive legislation that will live
long after every man who voted for II
or against II. Is dead and gone.
vardaman had done nothing else but
that. az was said by a distins aished
gentleman, II would entltle him 70
q seat in the Senate the remainder of
his days" And yet. because he has
shown the same grit and the same de-
termination upon other questions than
this, his old time enemies have seized
upon a patriotic" cry to knife him.
+. d. LANDER