The Semi-weekly leader., 1922-08-23
MISS KEARNEY TO
SUPPORT STEPHENS
Defeated Candidate Speaks Be
fore Executive Committee
at Jackson.

The following message was receiv-
ed at Stephens Headquarters after
1.-The primary, Aug. 49,
Flora. Miss. Aug. II, 1922.
Hon. Hubert d. Stephens,
Stephens Headquarters,
jackson Miss.
! am asking my friends to support
you in the second primary.
Belle Kearney.
Il Later Mr.. Stephens visited Miss
Kearney at her home at Flora and
addressed the people of that vicinity
who were present. the dispatches
stating there were five hundred.
Still later Miss Kearney requested
that she be permitted to attend the
meeting of the State Democratic Ex-
ecutiye Committee at Jackson yester-
day, which request was chivalrcusly
granted as will be seen by the fol-
lowing;-
Jackson, Miss. Aug. 22.-At a.
meeting of the Democratic State Ex-
eeutive Committee held in the senate
chamber at the noon hour today a
second primary for United States
Senator was ordered to be held on
September 5 to settle the race be-
tween Hubert D. Stephens and James
X. vardaman.
The returns of the first primary
were canvassed, and 1t was found
that nine counties, Bolivar, Frank
lin, Kemper, Montgomery. Pearl Riv-
er, Pike and Tishomingo, had failed
to send official returns.
The committee. however, accepted
unofficial returns from these nine
counties, and declared the result as
follows:-
yardaman 74,57S; Stephens 65.-
$50; Kearney 1926; plurality for
Vardaman S,593.
The distinct feature of the meet
ing was the address of Miss Belle
Kearney, the defeated candidate, who
had requested the privilege of ap-
pearing before the committee.
WANTS STATE REDEEMED"
II want to see Mississippi redeem
ed from the slime, the mire and the
disgrace with which its political af-
fairs are infected, and therefore I am
giving my support to Hubert Steph-
ems" said Miss Kearney. She pre-
faced her remarks by stating that
when she decided to enter the cam
paign she did not believe that a half
dozen men in the state would give
her support, but the returns showed
that thousands of men rallied to her
support.
Another notable feature of the
meeting was the adoption of a reso-
luton declaring that large number
of socialists and republicans had
been allowed to take part in the e.
lection on Aug. 18th, persons who
had no legal or moral right to do so,
and declaring that this participation
by outsiders is highly prejudicial to
the interests of the Democratic par
ty and repulsive to the will of these
honored party heroes who have borne
the burdens of democracy since the
days when the carpetbaggers came to
Mississippi to plunder our people"
The committee readopted its for
mer resolution barring from the e.
lection all persons who voted for the
republican or socialist candidates for
president two years ago, and demand
ing that election officers everywhere
see that this rule which is founded
on the elections laws of the state is
strictly enforced.
Judge Robert Powell, chairman.
and o. F. Lawrence, secretary. stated
that they had received numerous let
tiers complaining of illegal voting in
the various counties. Although the
committee was fully empowered by
law to declare results on the basis
of returns from the counties that had
officially reported, thus eliminating
the vote of nine counties, it was de-
cided not to do so and unofficial ig-
ures were added to the total.
COOK BEATS LANE.
The committee also declared the
result of the primary for Judge Of
the Supreme Court for the Southern
District, Judge w. H. Cook, present
incumbent, being an easy winner
over e. M. Lane. of Raleigh. The
vote for the unexpired term was
Cook, 26.248; Lane. 1887. The vote
for the full term was Cook, 23.066;
Lane, 1870.
For the first time in history wo-
man member was present to serve on
the-committee, Mrs. Howard S. Will
liams. wife Of the editor of the Hat
tiesburg American, who was chosen
at the last meeting to fill vacancy
from the Sixth District.
Mrs. Williams was honored by
Chairman powell with a place on the
committee on resolutions and assist
ed in framing the declaration against
illegal voting.
S--e-----