The Southern herald., 1922-09-01
STEPHENS .REFUTES
/. CHARGES AGAINST HIM
Denounces Stories Circulated
by Vardaman Proxies.

second primary. Before leaving Jack
son Mr.. Stephens said a few words
about the campaign and took occasion
to nail certain slanderous and false
rumors circulated in different places
where he is personally known.
To the Commercial Appeal CORE
spondent Mr.. Stephens said:
Il have never seen greater enthu-
siasm and earnestness in any of my
campaigns, than my friends in every
section Of the state are displaying.
And this means that we are going to
win by handsome majority on the
fifth of September.
81 am deeply grateful to those loyal
friends who rendered such valiant SER
vice before the first primary when the
outlook was not as bright as 1t is to
day. Mr.. Vardaman's friends were
given the positive assurance by his
spokesmen that he would be nominal
ed in the first primary, and 1t is nat
ural that they should be discouraged
now with an antl-Vardaman majority
Of not less than 10000 against him.
He polled his full strength on the 18th
Of August and from that day his cause
began to wane.
"The opposition's storehouse Of
falsehoods and Misrepresentation was
bankrupted in an effort TO defeat me,
and the whispered propaganda that
was spread against me on the eve OF
the election by the most carefully pre-
meditated plan eclipsed anything |
have ever seen In Mississippi politics.
Letters are pouring into my office
from every section of the state telling
me Of the Misrepresentation that
were spread by henchmen Of my oppo-
nent. In the effort to create preju'
dice against me, misstatements nave
been made as to my religious and fra
ternal connections. To answer these
/ will state that / am member OF the
Methodist Church, and have been feI
more than 80 years, and that the only
secret or fraternal orders of which
am a member are the Masons (blue
lodge, chapter, council and command
ery), the Woodmen Of the World, ElkI
and Knights of Pythias.
"In some places it has been told that
during the war l was drafted, that
married young lady, and her fathel
kept me out Of the army, and thai
when the war was over divorced her
am told that this ridiculous falsehoot
influenced Votes against me. Again Il
was told that have been marrise
three times, that divorced two wives
broke up a mans home and marrlet
his wife, and that am now living WHY
her.
1.-THE fact Is that l married nearly
20 years ago, which was my first ant
only marriage, and my wife and ar
still living together. aS every one II
New Albany knows. In labor center
Il was assidulously circulated that
had, at some other point in the state
bitterly assalled the leaders of organ
ized labor. Such statements were All
solutely false. l did call attention t
the fact in a vigorous manner as pos
sible, and shall continue to call at
tention to it that certain well know
socialists, Bolshevists and l. w. "
sympathizers had instructed the whit
men and women of Mississippi to Vot
for James X. VardamaR.
81, myself heard the prevaricato
who heads the list Of proxies, or rathe
divides that role with his chief riVal
Bilbo, state in a speech recently tha
Hubert Stephens made11 speeches 70
Lee Russell He knew that statemen
was absolutely false, because he wa
in Russell's headquarters at the tim
and knew who we're making speeche
for Russell. Others have grapevine
the charge that until Recently wa
a Vardaman man. want to repea
here for the benefit Of my friends tha
II one single responsible person /
Mississippi will state that made
single speech for Lee Russell, IL CAV
out a single interview in his behalf, q
III solicited single person to Vot
for him, will quit this race.
"That proposition has stood sine
the first day Of January, when ! di
covered that part Of the plan Of m
male opponent was TO have henchme
infest the lobbies Of local hotels an
buttonlSOle every person that woul
give them ear and spread that'repor
never cast vote for James X. Va
daman In my life.
"I have called attention to thes
things for the purpose OF showing th
character OF the campaign chat ha
been waged against me--a csmpaig
planned and carried out by some
the aides and advisers Of James
Vardaman-and to put my friends {
guard during the second primary figh
=, s.-.4n AaakarSlsr atfamnf