The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1918-01-24


the constitution and loyalty to the
principles and policies taught by
Washington and jefferson are the
sheet anchor of our hope.
In this country the individual citl.
zen IL the source of all the strength
all the wealth-all of the sSisdam and
all of the morality represented in the
government. Your toll produces the
wealth of the nation which maintains
its commerce In time of peace, and
your strong arms fight the country s
battles in time Of war. That fact has
been brought very sensibly. home to
you In recent months. 1ou have been
made to feel by experience what has
been taught in academic discussions
all these years.
Who is keeping the American flag
triumphant In the air at this timer
Whose sacred blood Is being shed
upon the altar Of war that our cause
may triumph Pit Is the brave boy
who Is taken from the devoted arms
of a loving mother, the loyal husband
from the bosom of his trusting wife,
the fond father away from the happy
home surrounded by loving little chill
dren. Who is paying the expenses
Of this war? 1t is theemoney taken
by taxation from the products Of your
toll. You are, therefore, | repeat, the
source of all power, wealth end mind,
and all the morals represented IN
your government. Please do not for
get that.
I wish you, my countrymen, in the
quiet of your homes, would look this
situation over, apply the rules OF
common sense, follow the dictates OF
your consciences and just Judgment,
AID then express your honest conclu-
sicns at the ballot box. And do this
bravely, with that independence
which must characterize the Ameri-
can citizen in the performance of the
supreme function OF citizenship.
There must be freedom of speech.
freedom of action and freedom OF
thought by the citizen, or free instl-
tulions will perish from the western
hemisphere. l should like to have
you write me and make suggestions
to me- l need your prayers and your
counsel. l would rather trust your
Judgment would rather rely upon
your feelings for my guidance than
the logical processes of the inflated
few who hold the offices.
Yes, this is your country, and II this
peculiar form of government so wise
ly designed for the good of mankind
shall, be saved for you and your chill
dren. / repeat it must be done by
you The efforts to muzzle the press,
abridge the freedom of speech, is
plant of Prusian origin and cannot
thrive long in American soil. And it's
advocates will find that out to their
sorrow pretty soon, | hope.
In this vortex Of disorder the time
server and the sycophant, the glib
tongued parasite and the opportunist
will come to the front. Such condi-
lions develop him as tadpoles and
wiggletails are developed in pool Of
stlgnant water. This same parasite
will presume upon your ignorance,
which does not exist except in his
own uncultivated and vanity-inflated
imagination-he will play upon your
fears and capitalize your prejudice for
his own personal or political aggran-
dizement My advice to you is to
listen to him with open mind ! wish
you to hear every side, and see every
phase of the problems which yoi
must ultimately solve. But | would
have you to withhold your counsel I'M
til all the evidence is-in, and then rise
to the stature of full-grown Ameri.
can citizen, unafraid, and with de-
termination perform a patriots duty.
There are dangers from without to
our country that challenge our serf-
GUS attention, but they are of infini-
tesimal consequence compared with
the deleterious possibility of the en-
envy in our own midst.
One of the great expounders of the
constitution in the early days OF this
republic gave you chart by which
you may guide with safety the ship
of state over the troubled seas. Make
it part of your mentality, and then
teach 1t to your children, that they
may teach it to their children until
it shall become an instinct of the
race. He said:
"Let the American youth never for
get that they possess a noble inherl-
lance, bought by the tolls and suffer-
ings and blood of their ancestors;
and capable. If wisely improved and
faithfully guarded, of transmitting to
their latest posterity all the subtsan
tial blessings of life, the peaceful en-
joyment of liberty, property, religion
and independence. The structure has
been erected by architects OF con-
summate skill and fidelity; its foun-
dations are solid; its compartments
are beautiful as well as useful; its
arrangements are full of wisdom ana
order: and its defenses are impreg-
nable from without. 1t has been
reared for Immortality, if the work OF
man may justly aspire to such a title.
It may, nevertheless, perish in an
hour, by the folly or corruption or
negligence Of its only keepers-the
people. Republics are created by the
virtue, public spirit and intelligence
Of the citizen They fail, when the
wise are banished from the public
councils, because they dare to be
honest, and the profligate are reward
ed, because they flatter the people in
order to betray them"
With the eye of the prophet and the
soul of the seer, Judge Story dipped
into the future, saw the difficulties
which confront our country today,
and at once warned you against the
real dangers and enemies to your
government.
It has been reported to me that GER
tain criminal, small politicians IN
Mississippi have beer heard to utter
the reasonable words that tine
friends of Vardaman would not dare
TO open their mouths on public ques-
- ,,- - - ror,,orxy Thot