The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-11-23
FLORIDA's CANDIDATES.
So Far II Seems That BeGgs Is Lead
ing in The Race.

Tallahassee. Fla, Nov. 22.-For several
months past there have been five an
nounced candidates for the next governor
ship of Florida, and two Of the aspirants
have stated their views to the peop.e
upon current questions
Still. there is the greatest doubt as to
which Of the gentlemen in the race is lead
ing-doubt, indeed, as to the relative
strength Of the men. The candidates are
States Attorney James D. Beggs of Or
iando State Senat or Fred T. Myers of Tai
Iahassoe, former Speaker bennett H. Mays
OF Monticello, Judge William Sherman
Jennings Of Brooksville, and former Sur
veyor General william II. Milton, Jr of
Mariana.
Other names are occasionally mentioned,
but there IS no good reason for believing
that there are any other active candidates
or that the nominating convention win 90
oatside the above list to select a standard
bearer.
There are some reasons for believing
that the strength of the several candidates
is in the order that their names have
been placed above; The press expressions
read that way. and a good many poiiti-
clans talk that way. But until the old
party war-horses-the half-dozen or more
men who have controlled Flordas Democ-
racy for many years-say all speculation
as to who win succeed Hon. William d.
Bloxham as Governor of this state IS
merely so much guess-work. All of the
candidates are good men; there is not
weak or a dangerous one in the lot; there
is not one amongst them the soundness
of whose Democracy has been intelligent
w questioned. Hence there is no great
Overwhelming popular demand for either
of them as against the other. indications
are bountiful that before the selection Is
made the future welfare of the party in
this state is going to be most carefully
considered and whichever of the asprants
seems most likely to advance and strength
en- those interests is going TO secure the
plum.
Outside Of the candidates and some Of
the newspaper editors, not a single one
of the big guns of the party has yet in
formed the public which of the candidates
he favors for the chief magistracy Nor
in most cases do the candidates them-
selves know with any great degree or
certainty how they stand as to the sup
port Of the big men who are tremendous
powers in state politics. Nobody familiar
with ElOr1da pOllllCS can uDuDl liifiN NdN'A
Of the following names stands for very
much positive political strength, which is
going to count heavily in the ensuing
campaign: Gov. William d. Bloxham,
United States Senator James p. ITALIA
ferro Congressman Stephen M. Spark
man. former Cows. H. l.. Mitchell and F.
P. Fleming, Col. John A. Henderson of
| Tallahassee the vice president and gen
eral counsel of the Florida Central and
Peninsular Railroad. Hon. John e. Hart
ridge of Jacksonville; Hon. Peter o.
Knight of Tampa-and there are several
others who are certainly going to be in
huential factors in selecting Florida $
next Governor.
1t can be stated with confidence that
neither of the candidates has been as
sured of the support of these men, and
further. that no one OF them need hope
| for success without a goodly portion Of
| the strength thereby to be gained To
be brief, the five candidates have placed
| themselves before the people, and nobody
vet knows where the Warwicks stand
wherefore it is Improbable to speculate
| as TO whether the surname of the next
| Governor of Florida viii begin with B, J.
| or Nor which NJ.