The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1897-11-26
The favares Herald
AN ABSURD COMPARISON.

SA&t SS)~S 49, SSAA@ @A@ssSS~'
Two or three weeks ago the Ocala Banner
Banner published an article In which speak
ing of the absurd claim that Mr.. Flagler had
done everything for Florida. it insisted that
others had done equally as much, or more.
in proportion TO their resources. Among
other things IL said.
." Mr.. Flagler has done much for Flori
da and is TO be applauded for all he has
done but he built hotels and railroads
with bushels of money. St Clair-Abrams
did these things by the mere force of his
genius by impressIng his enthusiastic
faith in the state on others Who accom-
plished the greater feat r
Whereupon the Ocala Star, which is sup
posed to be edited by a man named Porter
who claims te be preacher. and whose hos
tility to Major ST. Clair-Abrams is well
known. opened its flood gates of criticism
and is very much astonished to know that
such a person as Alex. ST. Clair-Abrams ex-
lists or that he has ever done anything in
the state Of Florida, and at once proceeds to
iaud that distinguished patriot. MT George
W. Wilson, editor of the Times Union and
Citizen, and journalistic fugleman for Henry
NJ Flagler in Florida. He points out how
Wilson has spent $4,000 for labor i'll this
state how he has paid sIo5,ooo to transporta-
ton companies; how he has owned n saw
mill, built a steamboat, distributed one mil
lion and a half political documents, etc. etc.
Attempting to beiitlle Mr. St. Clair Abrams.
the clerical " haug-doodle. says Do facts
justify the statement that Major Alex St
Clair-Abrams ever constructed or cause to be
constructed anything OF lasting or perma-
nent good anywhere in the state?''
Considering that there is scarcely man in
Florida, not an absolute stranger in the state,
who is not fully advised of the extent of the
work done by Mr.. St. Clair-Abrams in the de-
velopment of Florida this query is certainly
amusing. If. however. the Star desires
comparison between his work and that Of Mr..
Wilson we will cheerfully make it for his
benefit and thus enlighten his ignorance. To
begin with Mr.. Wilson has owned a saw mill.
Mr. Alexander st. Clair-Abrams has owned
three one of which gave employment to
over one hundred men with monthly pay
roll Of nearly three thousond dollars.
Mr.. Wilson has paid out eighty thousand
dollars to labor; Mr.. Alex. ST. Clair-Abrams
has paid to labor in his saw mills alone over
one hundred aud twenty thousand dollars !;
TO railroad labor over one hundred and fifty
thousand dollars and to labor on his groves
and farms over one hundred thousand dollars,
making a total of over four hundred and fifty
thousand dollars he has paid out for labor or
nearly six times as mu-h as Mr.. Wilson is
credited with.
Mr.. Wilson built steamboat ON Orange
Lake Mr.. ST. Ciair-Abrams built and oper-
ated four steamboats, on lakes Eustis, Harris
and Dora. giving TO the people tiansporta-
ton on these lakes when there was no rail-
road, aud materially aiding iu filling up this
section with population.
In addition Mr.. St. Clair-Abrams has built
hotels, an opera house, stores. and cottages
aided at his own expense in lowering these
lakes, spending nearly ten thousand dollars
alone i'll opening the channel between
lakes Eustis and Dora.
Furthermore, there has scarcely been
church constructed in this portion of the
state but what has been aided by the money
of Mr. st. Clair-Abrams. This fact must be
known to the clerical Porter, because when
terests of the corporations against Mr. ST.
Clair-Abrams and converted religious pull
pit into political rostrum he was notified
on more than one occasion that he could not
use a church for the purpose of political
abuse, as Mr.. St. Ciair-Abrams had contribu-
ted more to the construction of such church
than all the other contributors put together.
This notably at Victoria.
Mr.. Wilson we are told has set out six thou
sand orange trees. From 1874 to 1895 Mr.. St.
C,air-Abrams set oct fourteen thousand or
ange trees, besides starting vegetable culti-
walton for shipment in South Florida
Mr.. Wilson has distributed one million and
a hall political documents Well, anybody
could have been hired to do that. Let US
look now at Mr.. Alex. St. Clair-Abrams po-
Iitioally. N 1876 he was entrusted with the
duty of organizing the democracy in Orange,
volusia and other southern counties. At this
time the republican party was in full posses
sion of the state. His personal labors at his
own expense, in these counties resulted in
greater increase in the democratic vote than
was sufficient to elect Stearns. At the time
it was admitted that his work in these coun-
ties saved the state from four years of mis-
rule. In 1850 he was elected chairman of the
democratic executive committee for this
congressional district, and made the most
notable campaign ever made in Florida.
He literally placarded the district with poIit-
ical documents, gave six m anths of his time
at great pecuniary sacrifice and changed
republican majority Of six hundred into
democratic majority of nearly twelve hun
bred, breaking down the republican major
iiy in the district, and inficting upon the
republican party in this state blow from
which it never afterwards recovered.
To so on with the comparison would be
ludierous' There are five roads entering and
leaving the town of Tavares and every rail
road was constructed either by the money or
through the influence of Mr.. Alex. ST. Clair
Abrams.
But the clerical critic wants TO know
where Mr. Alex. St. Clair Abrams got his
money. We will tell him. From 1876 to
1875, period of eighteen years, Mr.. Alex.
St. Clair Abrams earnings as a lawyer nd
his land interests brought him IN an ave. age
income Of $4,000 per year. or nearly S4oo, ooc,
every dollar OF which he expended in works
of public improvement In addition he
brought over one million dollars capital into
the state by sale of railroad bonds and by
inducing others to invest their capital here.
This is where he got his money. He
never got cent by passing hat around for
contributions; he never realized dollar by
any system OF legal blackmail; he was
never bTibed 10 advocate cause or to libel
man; no corporation money ever paid a
mortgage of his or rescued him from bank