The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1918-03-07
general revenue Bill; and Mr.. varda-

general revenue Bill; and Mr.. varda-
man was severely criticized by the
press at the time "or "impeding gen.
eraI legislation" He "stood htched,"
just the same, and demanded unsTi-
nous consent and five hours for his
bill 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 nsentng.
| The hour called for man to "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 "ad-
mlnistration leaders'-among 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 Vardaman, and the
bill having the right of way for five
before those five hours expire, or die.
About four and half of the five hours
| had expired when this western sena-
| tor began to talk. He could talk thir-
| ty minutes and kill the bill; and he
| had it in his mind to do so. But an
other friend of Senator Vardaman's
went over to this western man, and
| while ne was speaking, said to him:
| "Don't fiIibuster; the bill has merit
in it, and our friend vardamans heart
is wrapped up in it; for mis- sake let
| the bill come to vote" And the man
who was speaking, looked down at
| his friend, and then looked across the
chamber at Vardaman. He paused in
| his remarks; studied Vardaman's
| anxious face moment, spoke just a
few more words, then took his seat.
| The vote was taken and the bill
passed. 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 is 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 who
can do somthin'."
The Congressional Record discloses
the further fact; when the vote on
| the flood control bill was taken and
the roll was called, among those re-
ported as mot voting Is the name
| "WilIiams."
This measure, which, but for Ben
| Humphreys and James x. Vardaman
never would have become law, means
| more 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.
In one form or another legislation OF
this character had been hanging fire
for years. The people OF the Missis-
spp valley had spent more than one
hundred million dollars for Ievees and
| river Improvement. Taxes for main
tanning levees were bearing heavily
| upon them. A piecemeaI policy had
characterized the effort to control
this great waterway that drains thirty
two states of this republic. Millions
of dollars of property had been de-
stroyed; thousands of lives lost on &C
count of the floods. The plan under
this bill is one of efficiency. 1t pro-
| vides for the expenditure of approx
mateIy nine million dollars year for
five years, to improve the river along
this great stretch of country, and build
Ievees that will hold. 1t is a piece of
constructive legislation that will live
Iona after every man who voted for it
or against it, is dead and gone. II
| Vardaman had done nothing else but
that, as was said by distinguished
| gentleman, it "Would entitle him to
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.
f. d. LANDER.