The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1918-05-17
CAN THERE BE ANY WONDER?

When the newspapers that are still supporting Senator
vardaman use such utterances as the following, which, if not
seditious treads dangerously near the dividing line between Sc
diion and treachery to the United States and loyalty, can there
be ANY,, any wonder amd tb that nrd the s eahi6it; Ssn at na IS e6snsi is t nlsh ho ,arf
The editorial below appeared in the Oxford Eagle of last week.
NAV r al the more re 81 see the justice taf E and correctness ss7 ST our urI position
in regard to the senatorial race. The Sedition' bill, about which
it in the Senate May 4 and we believe that there was but one
single, out of the entire membership, lonesome man to vote
against it in the lower house. Is it probable that all these men
in both houses of Congress are wrong and our Junior Senator
his few remaining adherents right? And what applies to
this very measure is also true of most of the important measures
that have been before Congress since the war began:
The sedtion bill, a favored measure of the administration has pass
ed both houses of congress and requires only the signature OF the Presl-
dent to become effective. The measure raj bitterly opposed by tn &C.
pubhcans and Democrats alike, but the weight of the administrative IN
huence overran the opposition.
A number of measures have been passed by Congress, all Of which
seek to establish federal Capitalization in Washington to further the in
2 terestso of America in the va but non m so radical and thoroughly
autocratic, as the sedhion measure. If W e yer quite sue n at MS
measure would never be removed from the statute books of America.
then we would say, that the passage of this measure means the death
knen of Democratic government in America
The administration has caimedt that such restrictive and radical
measures were necessary to deal with the alien enemies in America. If
this be true, then the measure should have been specifically directed to
the aliens and not Americans. There are a sufficient number of jals
and rope factories in America to handle the alien enemy question with
out muzzGng the Press and the voice of the people.
This event in congress marks the end of democratic government in
America. 1t may be simply for the period of the war as the author
states, but it may be permanent, a the people and the Press of Ameri-
ca fear. The most significant fact connected with the passage of this
bill is an admission TO the world that democratic government is a fail
ue. It is an admission to the nations now engaged in a death strug-
gle that the lofty ideals of democracy will not stand the acid test Of
war. Our enemies can derive consolation from this legislation, for it
usurpsd democracy and establishes the tyranny of PrusianEm.
The measure affords a means OF punishment for disloyal utterances
and acts OF sedihon, bat it also prevents honest criticism of the conduct
of the "a by the American people and the press. The American eo-
pie are donating boys and money, without stint, to wi the "a and
legislation of this character will not protect inefficient officials from the
indignation of the public.
LEGISLATION of the character will easily destroy the YELLOW dog the
Dry in southern democracy J. From this date our people will vote for
competency in Office regardless of party utilization. @t-
Need we be surprised then, at the steadfast allegiance of the peo-
pie to the cause of James X. Vardaman. The Junior Senator is the
only representative from Mississippi that has the courage to oppose
such a dissertation of democratic government. The remainder of the
Mississippi group have simply "stood by" under the stand by policy.
while the opponents of Federal Capitalization have killed representa-
tive government. And yet there are some, who think that the people of
Mississippi will support Pat Harrison, whose only claim for notoriety,
is that he was at the death of democracy.