The Brandon news., 1922-08-31
FLAYS vARDAMAN RECORD
Beautiful Tribute Is Paid to Wilson
and Williams i'm Address at Cleve-
land-4OO Hear Speech in Behalf
of Former Congressman.
By James b. Gibson,

Cleveland, Miss, Aug 29,-Be-
meath the shadow of aAmarble shaft
which stands as a monument to
southern heroism and across the base
of which is chisled the words mo
nation ever rose so free from crime,
nor fell so free from stain," Con-
gressman Benjamin Grubb Hum
phreys pleaded with the voters OF
Bolivar county this afternoon for
the honor of America and the defeat
of James X Vardaman.
Party loyalty and conservative
and constructive craftsmanship were
urged by Mr.. Humphreys as the
needs of the hour. Leadership of
the radical element of the nation,
he declared, was never so fraught
with possibilities for evil.
In his first public speech for HUI
bert Stephens, the congressman tore
the senatorial record of James X.
Vardaman TO shreds and hurled the
bits in the face of the man he term
ed as "a disloyal Democrat and a
disloyal American" He declared
that the ex-senator refused to follow
his party or its leaders at time
when the nation stood at the brink
of disaster and when a great Demo
cratic leader stood at the helm OF
the government.
Emphacizing the former senator's
disloyalty to the Wilson administra-
ton and the party during the war,
Mr.. Humphreys pointed his finger
Skyward and said:
There is a region that is not in
that direction which is filled with
such Democrats as he"
1t was telling point, and the
crowd evidenced its approval of the
sentiment. Every time the speaker
referred to the loyalty of Vardaman
and his sincerity as senatorial op-
StructioniSt, his hearers applauded
long and loud. The statement that
Vardaman was friend of the Re-
publican party, not only during his
term as senator but now, when he
seeks to again carry the banner of
Democracy, was greeted with laugh
ter and applause.
That Flood Control Bill.
Congressman Humphreys took the
trouble to explain Vardaman's con-
nection with the flood control legis-
lation which was passed by Congress
III 101O. IOAN Aol
man, he said, have sought to spread
the impression throughout the state
that Senator Vardaman forced con-
sideratiOn of the flood control bill
in the Senate.
The speaker read newspaper re-
ports sent out from Washington at
the time, in which it was stated
that Senator Joe Bansdell of LOuisi-
ana forced consideration of the bill
in the Senate by refusing unanimous
consent for consideration of the fl.
nance bill and holding out against
Senator Simmons and others until
they agreed to call up the measure.
which had already passed the House.
But if you let Vardaman tell the
story" said Mr.. Humphreys, you
will gain the impression that the
senator was very much like. tie
captain of the Nancy Brig-that he
was captain, mate and the whole
damned crew But there was d
quorum present when Vardaman
passed the flood control bill. A
few congressman were in Washing
ton at the time and among those
present was Ben Humphreys.
Mr.. Humphreys told of the fight
in the House for flood control legis-
latiOn and of how the bill was re-
ported to the Senate by Senator
Vardaman. Senator Ransdell was Ill
when the committee decided TO re-
port the measure, he said, and the
committee selected Senator Varda-
man to present it's report. Shields
of Tennessee was a member of the
commerce committee at that time.
Humphreys Wrote 1t.
"Vardaman made a good report of
the bill from the commerce commit
tee," said the speaker. Il say it was
good report, because | wrote it. ;"
Then he explained that Senator
Vardaman merely wrote an intro
ductory paragraph and attached the
report of the House committee,
which was compiled by Mr.. Hum
phreys as chairman of the House
, committee.
The congressman was bitter III
his denunciation of Vardaman's war
record. He recOunted the events
which led America into the war with
Germany and told of the failure of
the Senate to pass the armed
neutrality bill Vardaman-a mem
Der of the little handful of wilful
men," who blocked the bill in the
Senate-was charged with full
share of responsibility for the war
and the major portion of the
burden was shifted from the
shoulders of the president to the
group of senators who conducted the
fillibuster.
Mr.. Humphreys told the women
of Bolivar County that they share
the responsibility of citizenship
which rests upon the male voters OF
Mississippi, and urged them to &c
to the polls next Tuesday and regis
ter their judgment.
Discussing the war and America !:
participation in the great struggle
Mr.. Humphreys reviewed the snt-
standing achievements of the VIII
son administration, which has been
denounced by Senator Vardaman as
''one of the most infamous admins
trations in the history Of the repub-
lic."
In passing, the congressman paid
beautiful tribute to Woodrow vii
son, characterizing him as Il wound
ed soldier. Mr.. Wilson is JUST as
much a wounded soldier as If he
had fallen in Belleau Wood de-
clared the speaker, .ani when The
petty hates and jealousies OF this
generation are hushed, the impartia
pen of the historian will hold aiOfl
the name of Woodrow Wilson ant
the record of his accomplishments.
Coming back home and dwelling