The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1891-08-14
OUR MAYOR as A SKINNER.
HIS Record and onr own.

I - %-N=@ OeAA ~ " -
Having been defeated all round, in the
Mayors court, and elsewhere, where his
testimony under oath was not taken, it
is natural that Mr.. Anderson should be
irritated and because this paper made
an exposure of the methods by which he
sought to gain an advantage as attor-
ney by prostituting his Office as May
or, be seeks revenge by calling us
unpleasant names, and refers to a con-
troversy he had with us several years
ago in which he claims 1--WE use his own
language and are not appalled, by iD to
have stripped our shivering carcass of
the last few tatters of resrectability in
politics and journalism, which our scala
wag career had left dangling about it, by
exposing us in all our nudity to the pubic
gaze. The idea of his exposing our poll
tics and want of responsibility in jour-
nalism 10 a community in which we
have continuously resided since boy
hood is preposterous, and the boast
carries the lie labelled on its face. We
are perfectly willing for that controversy
to be re-published. The public will see
that it was r. l.. Anderson's politi-
cal career that was exposed, and stunk
with rottenness aud duplicity, and not
our own.
A scalawag at homo yet he had not
the courage to say what he had been
there, or what he intended to be here,
and accepted place on our Democratic
County Executive Committee and held
on to it until his politics were discov-
cred. The discovery was made by the
Democratic papers at his own home be-
ing astounded at his sudden conversion
and not believing it was possible that
" Garfield Bob" was actually wearing
Democratic feathers in Florida. This
being true, and it is true, this political
gymnast has the amazing and supreme
gall to say that he stripped our political
carcass and exposed it in its nudity to
public view."
Since coming here he has been an un-
solved political enigma and we remem-
ber on more than one occasion to have
defended him from the attacks of per-
sons who suspected him of political in
fidelity and unfaithfulnesS. He was de-
Tended not because he was less of an
enigma but because at an unfortunate
time, and surrounded by unfortunate
circumstances, he was placed at the
head of the Democratic party in this dis
trict, and not to have defended him
would have subjected the party to re-
proach and obloquy.
Time and time again he has brought
on himself these suspicious. When
General Bullock and Colonel Martin
were candidates for Congress, voluntari-
ly and without solicitation, this political
riddle promised his support to Colonel
Martin and after participating in his
counsels and putting himself in posses.
sion of his confidence and his secrets, de-
liberately and without the shadow of an
explanation, particip ated in the Bullock
caucus and attended the Orlando Con-
vention as Bullock delegate.
This is but chapter in his enig-
matical politics and yet he has the mon
umental impertinence to boast of having
performed public service in exposing
our politics to the public gaze of peo-
pie among whom we have always lived
and the confidence of whom we have
never betrayed.
His audacity makes him forget him
self.
This controversy, and the other one
to which Mr.. Anderson refers, was
brought on by himself, in both of which
he made unwarranted and wanton at
saults on our reputation. In his last arti-
Gle to which we replied he charged us
with being controlled by patronage
and the loan of money" and in that
accusation, and all similar ones that he
has heretofore made, OF may hereafter
make, in the making of which, we pro-
nunce him willful and deliberate SLAM
derer and falsifier.
And as there may be no mistake as to
the author of this epistlc we sign it.
f. Il. HARRIS.