The Columbus dispatch. (Columbus, Miss.) 19??-1922, 1920-06-27

OF the money with which 90 meet ex-
0penses ana obligations incurred IN the
campaign.
AS to his charge that he had AZ
ways been opposed by corporations
in Mississippi, it may interest Mis-
sissippians to know that his cam
Ipaign manager in Monroe county dur
ing the recent campaign was the Hon.
D, w. Houston, district counsel for
one Of the largest railroad systems
in Mississippi, and it was this same
'railroad lawyer who placed Rus
sells name before the convention as
a candidate for the place of dele
gate at large to the national conven-
ton. / state this not as rejecting
upon any railroad lawyer, but to re
flute Russell's claim of being opposed
by the corporations.
Humphreys Did Not Expect TO Go.
Russell charges that a few political
leaders conspired to leave him off the
Mississippi delegation to the national
eonvention. Here again he is in error
Many political leaders felt that as a
matter of political expediency the
governor should have been named on
the delegation, but an overwhelming
majority of the delegates to the con
vention were unalterably of the opin-
ion that only Democrats in accord
with the national party should be ac-
credited to the convention, and that
the national party, facing the duty
Of adopting a platform, political eX.
pediency and social amenities should
be set aside; so it was that at time
when the committee on resolutions
was set out, preparing the Democratic
platform, the matter of nominating
delegates at large was taken up in
the convention, Gov. Russell's name
was put before the convention, and
some one else nominated Congress
man B. G. Humphreys, Mr. Humph-
reys was in the committee room and
was not aware that he had been nom
mated and had stated both publicly
and privately that he did net expect
to attend the convention at San
Francisco. The platform committee
adjourned and returned to the floor
Of the convention just as the secretary
was concluding the roll call, and | am
sure that every member of that com
mittee was surprised to know of the
contest that had been staged. The
same motive animated the delegates
at the Mississippi convention in pur-
suing this course that had been evinc-
ed in the Democratic convention in
Missouri, where Reed was omitted;
Tennessee, where Shields was omit
ted; Georgia, where Hoke Smith and
Hardwick were dropped.
Admits Two Parties in State.
Gov. Russell is correct when he
states in his article that there are, in
fact, two political parties insthe
state of Mississippi One is a Demo
cratic party, the other masquerading
as such, loudly proclaiming its dem
ocracy. We can only Judge the true
from the spurious by examining the
record of the leaders of each. Such
an examination discloses that one of
these parties is now led by Senator
John Sharp Williams and Senator Pat
Harrison. This party is in full ac-
cord with the administration of Wood
row Wilson. This party believes that
the peace treaty adopted at Versailles
including its provision for league of
nations, should be ratified; this party
believes that the national Democratic
convention, when it convenes at San
Francisco, should adopt plank pro-
viding for the Endorsement of league
Of nations; this party claims under
existing circumstances that it is a
4 true Democratic party The other is
lead by Ex-senator James X. Varda-
man, whose public utterances and
whose record in the United States
Senate, both during and since the
war, are we'll known; he has consorted
with La Toilette, Borah, Hiram john
son and other Republican "stand-pat-
ters.' He repeatedly voted against
the Democratic administration. He is
avowedly opposed to league of ma
tions. The official organ of this party
is paper known as "Vardaman's
Weekly" and in an edition of that
paper, dated June II, 1920, / find the
following declarations:
Vardaman Indorses Republicans.
First-An Endorsement of the Re
publican presidential nominee in the
following language: Harding is a
straightforward, broad-gauged, hon
orable, well-behaved man, clean in
nrivate life and consistent in support