Oxford eagle., 1918-01-17
"a. s. CooDY.)

The campaign for United States
Senator, at the opening of the new
year, is beginning to take on definite
lines. As the issues develop, and
men begin to express themselves we
begin to see that the lines of the
campaign of 1911 viii only general
ly hold true. Senator Vardaman has
lost but few of his former friends,
and these few disaffections are most
ly due to personal feeling rather than
to disagreement with the policies of
the Senator. On the other hand he has
gained thousands of friends who have
been won to his support because of
his independent and states-manlike
course as a Senator.
When Vardaman was elected to the
Senate many men sincerely believed
that he would make a fool of himself
in the Senate, and that his influence
would be nothing. They have been
agreeably disappointed, and there
are few men in Mississippi today who
do not feel proud of the Junior Sem
ator. His career has been marked
by independence of thought and ac-
ton, and he has been guided by the
desire to serve the whole nation in
manner worthy of the highest ideals
of his native State.
There is not a member of the SEN
ate who enjoys a better reputation
for honsty and sincerity of purpose,
Of who is more universally respected
by friend and foe. His opinions are
that they come from his own heart,
and are not some ones else.
As was to be expected, the cosmo-
politan press tried at first to ignore
Vardaman in the Senate. Not know
ing the man, many men in the nation
who stood for the very things he
stands for were opposed to him. They
had listened to his detractors, and
felt that he was a mere demagogue,
who had gotten into Office on a fake
issue. Since they nave come to know
the man, they respect and love hina.
The progressive, forwad-looking
men in the nation are coming to look
upon Senator Vardaman as among
the foremost opponents of progress
sive and fundamental democracy. No
man has ever occupied a seat in the
Senate who has gained more friends
and admirers throughout the nation
than has Vardaman.
When Mr.. Harrison opened his
campaign he stated that he desired
that the campaign be waged upon
the one single issue of standing by
the President" Having voted early
and often as he was told to vote, Mr..
Harrison naturally felt that he could
claim the votes of the people of this
State, if the campaign was confined
to this question. But this cannot be
done. No candidate can elect to
make his campaign upon any one
issue. His opponent can raise issues
himself, and then the people them
selves are the ones who can and do
make issues.
The people of this State cannot be
expected to draw two lines in this
campaign: one to cut out everything
that has happened prior to April 9th,
1917, and another to cut out every
thing after the war shall have ended,
and in addition refuse to consider
anything but the records of varda-
man and Harrison as related to the
President. Such situation is alb
surd but this is what Mr.. Harrison
asked to be done.
People realize that a man is to be
judged by his life's work, and not
by any one separate act. The peo-
pie Of Mississippi will not forget and
overlook vardaman's service to the
State as editor, legislator, soldier
Governor and private citizen; they
will not forget his whole service as
Senator, nor will they overlook the
fact that peace is our normal condi-
ton, and war is an abnormal condi-
tion, and elect a man to Office mere
ly because he stood for peace with
the President, and then changed and
stood for war with the President;
merely because he changed his mind
at the identical moment the Presi-
dent changed his. They win not fail
to remember that AFTER THE
WAR greater questions will be at is
sue than during the war, and that
they win then. Of all times, need q
tried, true and trusted friend in the
Senate
Vardaman was never more fully
trusted than he is today. both by the
people Of his own state, and by tn,
people of the entire nation, and that
trust and confidence will increase as
the months 60 by.