The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1897-05-14
A Tempest in a Teapot.

| On the first day of last March the
democratic executive committee fol
this county met, pursuant to a pub.
lished call, and twenty-five of the
twenty-six election districts re-
sponded. The principal business OF
the meeting was for the purpose oi
recommending board of county CON-
missiOners to the governor forappoint-
ment. Never in the history of the
democratic party in this county was
there n more harmonious meeting.
The business in hand was thoroughly
understood, and the names suggested
TO compose this board met the COM
mittee's unanimous endorsement.
1t was not until after the commit
mittee's adjournment that the least
breath of suspicion was heard against
the committee or the men recon-
mended by it for appointment.
Soon a certain publication, for
reasons well understood, made the
most scandalous charges against the
committees saction, and made the
governor of the state believe that the
names of the gentlemen recommended
to constitute this important body was
notoriously unfit for same, and made
him also believe that the action of the
committee had provoked great discord
and strife in The ranks of the demo
cratic party, and petition was sent
TO him to nominate other than the
names suggested by the committee to
compose said board of county COM
missiOners.
The chairman of the committee was
led to believe that large number of
influential democrats residing in diff
ferent sections of the county had pro-
tested most earnestly against the rec
concentrations made. The chairman
was told these letters emanated from a
source that required grave considera-
tion, and from their tone the most
deep-seated discord must be rife in
the ranks of the democratic party of
Marion county, and hence the gov
ernor hesitatated TO make the appoint
ments recommended by the commit
tee, for fear that if he did 50 it would
disorganize and disrupt the party in
this county, and the lesson in Duval
county would be repeated in Marion.
The chairman, believing this to be
the state of affairs, called a Sec
ond meeting of the committee
for the purpose of endorsing or
resembling its former action. In the
meantime he gave public notice to all
persons making these charges to ap-
pear before the committee with proof
to establish same. He also wrote to
the governor, through Senator Bitch,
as chairman of the committee, for the
use of the committee, for copies of the
letters, protests and petitions filed IN
his office against the men recon-
mended at its former meeting, and re-
ceived same. AS there was no ipjunc-
tion as to secrecy. the chairman laid
these letters, protests and petitions be-
| fore the committee to be used as it
deemed proper. The committee
moved that the same be read for its
| guidance in the matter, and after
ward adopted resolution that they
be published. Our readers will no
doubt be as much surprised as the
committee was TO find out that this
mueh-talked-of strife and discord en-
anated from less than half dozen in
/ dividual residents in this county and
two outsiders, one of whom was a
presidential elector for the Indian
/ apolis ticket, and all the balance,
save one, belonging to the little gold
bug contingent during our last cam
paign. The names of these august
citizens claiming to be democrats) are
as follows:
Mr.. George w. Wilson, ef Jackson
vile; Mr.. John l.. Ipglis, of Madison,
presidential elector as aforesaid Nr.
Glover w. Miller, DIR. Charles w. Tor
rey, Mr.. w. L. Smith, Mr.. j. V.
Burke and the Rev. j. G.. Porter.
This is the whole tempest in the
teapot.