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The most unreasonable and
intolerant person on earth is the self-centered, ignorantly, learned vain
man in high official station.
The fight against Woman
Suffrage by certain southern Congressman is short-sighted and in some
instances really stupid. The excuse they give for opposing suffrage to
women is that the negro woman will pester us. And yet, these same
disingenuous, shallow statesmen have never made an effort to eliminate the
negro man from politics until the woman suffrage amend came up for
consideration.
Senator Harrison expressed himself as
favoring it when he was hanging on to Vardaman's coattail. And Williams
said that he would give his left arm to repeal the fifteenth amendment
when he was a candidate but when he was elected to the Senate the first
time, he was heard to say that he "never expected to open his mouth on the
damn question."
It is all the result of lack of vision and
stupid prejudice.
Woman Suffrage is right. The influence
of woman at the ballot box is the only thing which will save this world
from Hell. It is coming. The movement is worldwide and is as uncontrollable
and resistless as the moving of the tide.
I cannot express
my own views on the question for the readers of Vardaman's Weekly better
than by the reproduction of a speech delivered by Senator Vardaman
in the Senate of the United States on the 26th day of September
1918.
Mr. VARDAMAN. Mr. President, the world is passing
through a period of change. Things that were new yesterday are to-day old
and to-morrow will doubtless become obsolete. New principles and untried
policies are passing through the processes of experimentation, and the
mutations coming with lightning rapidity challenge our attention and
present the world in the perspective as a cosmic phenomenon, kaleidoscopic
in character. It reminds one of the cyclone that rushes through the
country razing to the ground houses and forests mingling the debris with
the boiling, onrushing clouds, scattering woe and want, and leaving in its
wake misery on very hand. After awhile it will run its course. The
twisting winds shall cease to twirl; they will assume their normal
velocity and the force which wrought widespread destruction but a few
moments before will be changed to the gentle zephyr passing over the
landscape, drinking in the perfume from the fragrant flower, or fanning
the dimpled checks of joyous innocent childhood. The frowning front of the
cloud of war will pass away, and the rainbow of peace shall shine forth to
quiet the troubled soul.
In the midst of this desolation
and devastation, the deadly work of the typhoon of war, it is well-aye
more, wisely prudent -- that the American people, in the quiet of their
homes should take an inventory of their national assets and liabilities,
indulge in serious thought, and make ready in so far as
possible
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at this time, for the great work of
reconstruction and rehabilitation, which must engage our attention after
the war is over.
In time of war let as prepare for peace,
for in the performance of that great work we shall have need of all of the
moral forces and mental strength which the wisest of men and women who
make up the composite citizenry of this Republic can contribute This we
must do if we would perform properly our part in saving the world from a
lapse into the barbarism of the Dark Ages America must continue to lead
the world in civic righteousness and democratic re fore.
Offensive warfare universally brings about a recrudescence of brute force
in government and its general effect is to stifle the nobler impulses of
the human soul. There was never a war in all the ages of the world
that could not have been averted if the leaders on either side had been
sufficiently wise, brave, patriotic, unselfish, and true to the highest
ideals. I am quite sure, however, the there are instances in the world's
history where wars were forced upon people, and self-preservation and the
preservation of governmental existence made it necessary to engage in war.
In such cases which we will call defensive war- fare, for a righteous
cause, in individual cases the dross is separated from the gold and it
also works for national exaltation and individual excellency. But at best
war is a brutal business "only splendid murder, the mad the world so loves
to play," if I may be permitted to quote Dean Swift; it is contrary to the
teachings of the Prince of Peace, an impeachment of the
world's Christianity, and violative of all the principles of
altruism.
One of the unfortunate, very unfortunate,
incidents to all wars is the disposition of even so-called righteous men
and women to condone the violations of the moral law to a degree which
almost amounts to suspension of the moral law. Constitutions are also set
aside and Necessity becomes the final arbiter. To win is the goal to
which and for which men fight; and particularly is that true in the
desperate conflict now being waged upon the broad theater of the world The
unconquerable spirit which bids us fight until victory for the allied
cause is achieved lire; the heart and animated the soul of every patriotic
American to-day America entered this war, we were told by the President of
the United States, to uphold the rights of her citizens upon the high seas
and in defense of an ideal; and having entered, every citizen of the
Republic will willingly lay his all as a fitting sacrifice upon the altar
of his country's cause.
We must, however, not fall below
or go beyond the first high purpose. We can not afford to lose sight of
the real motives that moved us as a Nation in the
beginning.
President Wilson's famous address to the Senate
on the 22d day of January, 1917, contains the definition of the aim and
end of America to which in after years posterity can point with pride The
brutality and wickedness of our adversary must not be permitted to betray
us into being the things which we condemn in others and to demand more at
the hands of the vanquished than we started out to
achieve.
Justice is not measured by the weakness of our
adversary, and righteousness must not be determined by the superior
strength of our arms. In the prosecution of this war courage and heroic
devotion to duty must characterize our conduct if we would win the war,
and the spirit of generosity, love, and charity for our fellow man must
crown and glorify our acts
in...
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