Oxford eagle., 1922-07-27
VARDAMAN RALLY ATTRACTS
BIG CROWD TO OXFORD
Judge Burch Speaks to Packed House--A.
c. Anderson Speaks In Interest
of His Candacy

cratic ?" To find this out one must
go to the local, state and national
conventions of the Democratic party
which are chosen by the people, and
the platforms these conventions draw
lup. Here are found the doctrines OF
the party and the pledges that bind
every candidate for office who seeks
the support of the Democratic party
in obtaining that office. If an office
holder does or does not live up to
these pledges, is the test of whether
| he is democratic or undemocratic.
This acid test and none other should
be employed in stigmatizing Mr..
Vardaman.
These charges against Mr.. Varda-
imam grew out of his opposition to
! five measures which came up in the
| Senate of the United States during
the troubled period of our entrance
into the, European War; These mea-
sures were: The Panama Canal Tolls
Bill; The Armed Neutrality Bill;
The Selective Service or Draft Law;
The Ship Purchase Bill; and the De-
claration of War.
How did the Democratic party and
Mr.. Wilson, it's standard bearer in
1912 and 1916, and who, later, be-
cause of his stand, heaped so much
vitriolic abuse on Mr.. Vardaman,
stand on the question of tolls on
ships passing through the canal. The
platform framed by the Baltimore
convention, expressed in unequivocas
terms its opposition to levying toll
on our coastwidetrade, and Mr.. Will
son in speech after speech before the
! farmers of the Atlantic Coast states
reiterated his allegiance to that
pledge, stating that the phrase in
Question was not "molasses to catch
| flies with but means business" Why
was Mr.. Vardaman undemocratic in
opposing the bill that violated this
solemn pledge made to the people
and on which the Democratic party
was entrusted with power.
The Armed Neutrality Bill.
There is such thing as an honest
difference of ,opinion between men
which some people in their hysteria
seem to have overlooked. And, GER
tainly when the nation is not at war
the right to express ones opinion
and fight for it within legitimate
bounds had never before been seri
ously questioned in this country, since
that right is one Of the foundation
stones used by the builders of this
nation. The Armed Neutrality Bill,
let it be recalled, came up before
this nation went to war. It had for
it's purpose the arning of our mer-
chant vessels. Some people, who
are conceded to be honest, believe
that the carrying of weapon does
mot prevent trouble, but invites it.
Mr.. Vardaman is of that opinion.
What was Mr.. Wilson's opinion? Is
there a child in this country above
ten years of age who can ever for
get that admonition of the president
$50 pc emily flashed before his
ieyes in The moving picture shows
and whose calcium light burned so
deeply the impress on the tablet of
his memory: "Be neutral not only
in act but be neutral in thought? ?
Was Mr.. Vardaman, or any one else
prof. German in attempting to follow
that admonition? Has any one for
gotten that after Congress had re-
fused to change fronts with Mr.. Will
son and pass the bill, that the presi-I
dent attempted, out Of the plenitude
of his executive powers, to arm the