The Columbus commercial. (Columbus, Miss.) 1893-1922, 1918-06-16
FORMER SUPPORTER TELLS
WHY He OPPOSES JUN
IOR SENATOR.
REVIEWED
Stubborn Resistance Shown by
white Chief" On Question
Affecting Liberty.

notice, Mr.. Bradford, that you have
been selected as chairman Of Pat Har-
rison's campaign in Leflorc County
What has come between you and Sen
ator Vardaman--have you not here
tofore been an adherent of his?" was
a question asked of J. w. Bradford
of ltta Bena, a leading attorney and
prominent citizen of this county, by
a newspaper man yesterday.
"Yes," he replied, Il have always
supported Mr.. Vardaman in his as
pirations for office; my people have
been his political friends for many
years; my native county calhoun
has ALWAYS niled up magnificent ma
jorities for Mr.. Vardaman for any
thing in Mississippi that he has ever
sought. We did all we could, both in
influence and votes, - rrt him in the
United States Senate. We did it be-
cause that in James X. Vardaman we
had friend-a friend to all of the
people. We believed that he would
stand in the halls of the greatest de-
Lucrative body in the world ord pro-
claim allegiance to us, and there make
record that would reflect our desire
for a greater state and greater ma
ton.
"But, instead Of breathing the spir-
it of hrs constituency in the state, he
has by act after act, vote after vote,
previously disappointed, chagrined
and embarrassed US. His record in
the Senate, instead of cherishing the
liberty, independence and honor Of
our great country, has tended to
placate us as weaklings, afraid to de-
mand our just rights for fear we
night be called upon to back up the
demand with the sword. No | can
y afford, as citizen of our great
country, to indorse the course of
MI. Vardaman, and since it is issues
and not men that count for high
office, it follows that / shall not sup
port him in his aspirations to succeed
himself in the Senate"
"Do you think that sufficient
number have deserted Mr.. Vardaman
to insure his defeat in the coming
election?"
"You have the sentence backward.
No one has deserted Mr.. Vardaman.
but Mr.. Vardaman has deseserted us,
not in time of peace and tranquil, but
at time when the sacred honor of
this republic was hanging in the bal
ance. He deserted the people of Mis-
sissippi and finally he deserted the
party that placed him in power. My
God, what prompted him to do it?"
eyes, Mr. Vardaman has some very
hard things to say about us-somt
ugly things to say about those who
oppose him now and who once were
his political friends / tell you
Mr.. Vardaman's genius in the use o,
the armored cruiser variety Of de
nunciation to intimidate those VIII
are just half loyal will avail hin
nothing now. He used to be able t,
keep them in his ranks with that hnt
of stuff, but, take it from me, i
won't work any more. His forme
supporters have quit him in compan
IS, battalons, regiments, brigades, di
visions and army corps in Mississippi
l cannot believe, knowing the peopl
of Mississippi to be red-blooded Amer
leans that Mr.. Vardaman will hav
more than a corporaPs guard in hi
! camp when the count is made in Aug
ust."
Mr.. Bradford then was asked:
el "What particular acts of Mr.. Val
! daman, as shown by his record
Congress, is it that you object to s
o seriously?s
q To this he replied:
Q "In the first place his ,)mplet
, record shows consistent course
stubborn resistance to the great que
= sion affecting our liberty, honor ar
" prosperity. and to the Democrat
party" His record shows his vol
$ against the shipping bin at a tin
: when the south and middle west We
crying for help on account of tran
} portation being cut off on the hif
" seas; the shipping trust, when the n
: ltions at war commandeered the
tships for war purposes, demands
- freight rates equal to our product
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