The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-02-24
THE OFFICES IN FLORIDA.
THE MEN WHO ARE SEEKING FED
ERAL PATRONAGE.

The Republican Party Well Organ
! ized-SOme of the Leaders of the
FnctiOns-The Men Who VIII Have
the Disposal of the OmciaI PIums.
Tallahassee, Fla, Feb. 2S.-From point
of view purely republican no state in the
south offers more interesting study than
Florida. The three great railroad mag
! mates of the state, Plant, Flagier and Du-
val-men whose influence, in any direction
in which they may see fit to exert 1t, is
unlimited-are all republicans. Thousands
upon thousands of northern settlers are
still loyal to the party of Linco.n,o of Grant,
and Mckinley; the "black belt" as a mat
ter of course is still clasped closely about
the "stalwart' figure of radcalism, and
a considerable sprinkling of southern-born
republicans lends spice to a combination
whose weight and influence are by no
means to be despised.
But it is not to be supposed that the in
terests of these diverse elements, however,
closely they may touch at certain points.
are in all directions Identical. The state
convention of last March showed clearly
the lines of cleavage. and it was the bitter
contest between the Mckinney men and the
'antis,' together with the attempt to sup
plant certain old-time leaders by new men
that eventually led to the withdrawal of
the anti-McKinley contingent from that
convention, and the nomination of an in
dependent state ticket.
1t was not until three months after the
adjournment of the national convention
that the recognition by that body of that
wing of the party known as the Eagan-
ties" led the boilers to realizing sense
of their position. This sudden change of
heart will surprise no one
who has observed the notifying
power of party pap. The spirit of peace
to-day broods over the g. O. p. in Flor
ida; the prospect of federal patronage
| has braced the backbones of the weak
| kneed and wavering; and the two wings
| of the party are now folded close above
the public crib. Nothing succeeds like
| success" and, while it is true that the
state was carried by the free silver demo-
| Gratis, the republicans feel that they have
earned their little reward by bringing
| out as large a vote as is possible under
| what they describe as the odious election
| law of Florida. In dilating upon the pc
| culiarities of this measure, a prominent
! republican WOTk6F Iettuiiy Sdlu " me.
"The Florida election law is made on
the Ferris wheel principle. Don't know
what that is? We'll, III tell you. The
| governor appoints the county commission
| ers; the county commissioners appoint
| the inspectors of election, and the
inspectors of election, by ways that
| are dark and tricks that are vain, virtu-
| ally appoint the governor, and so on ad
nfnitum. They ought TO patent the de-
vice, and l guess they have, for 1t bids
fair to prove perpetual"
| 1t is hardly necessary to say that the
| most absorbing question now before the
! radical patriots of the state is that in
volved in the distribution of federal pat
ronage; and, while the republican leaders
stoutly deny the existence of any
seemly scramble, 1t is an open secret that
there are numerous aspirants for about
| every available position that has as yet
doomed up on the political horizon, and
that the fight will be sufficiently spirited.
The Endorsements most eagerly sought af-
ter are those of State Chairman Stillman,
| State Secretary Lee and ]. N. Stripping,
who was a congressional candidate in the
late campaign. Another man whose in
dorsement is considered indispensable, and
which is likely TO have great weight with
| Mr.. Mckinley, is Dennis Eagan, who ma
nipulated the state convention in the in
| terests of the President-elect.
| Mr.. Eagan was formerly collector of in
ex-chairman of the republican state execu-
tive committee. He declined a re- Election in
favor of John +. Stillman, the present in
cumbent, who had long been one of his
most energetic and loyal lieutendnts Mr..
Stillman is young man, but
a very promising political future.
He was delegate to the national convention
but, though urged by many friends to as
sert his claims upon the position of ma
tional committeeman, he Loyalty declined
to interfere with the aspirations of Judge
Long in this direction. In making room
for Stillman, who has hitherto been COM
paratively unknown, and in agreeing to
Longs appointment on the national COM
mittee, Eagan has apparently placed his
interests in their hands. Stillman is young
| ambitious and resolute. Long is ambi-
tious. but hardly young; he is commonly
credited with deep desire to protect his
own interests, regardless of the welfare
of others, and a little ingratitude on his
part might throw off some highly nfiam-
able sparks from the rapidly re-
volving political grindstone. Never
theless, IL is generally believed by
those on the inside that these three
tireless toilers will practically agree upon
| all Endorsements for the leading positions
In McKineys gift.
one Of the best Of those positions Is
the collectors office at Tampa, which,
by heavy importations Of Cuban tobacco,
has been made one Of considerable i'm
| portance. There Is to be a sharp contest
| over It, Two aspirants are In the field
T. r. Gunby and Matt y. Macfarlane. Mr.
| Gunby has held the position before; he Is
not likely TO hold II again. lie was the
leader OF the anti-Mckinloy forces here.
| and was the gubernatonal candidate on
| the harmonized state ticket. Macfarlane
| IS one of Tampa's leading lawyers, and
| Is a powerful political worker Mr. Gunby
| in Ii.
the county convention, which fact led the
| former 70 remark as the curtain fell.
''Aly turn will come at the Tallahassee
convention" II came, and has been made
| the most of. The friends of both aspi-
rants however. are equally confident
At Key West similar conditions prevail
| The collectorship has found favor In the
| eyes Of George W. Allen. president Of the
| First National Bank, and ex-Collector
| Horr. Allen IS the recognized leader Of
| his party in Monroe county, and brought
l solid Mckinley delegation from Key