The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-04-03
Milton Attracting Attention.


To return to live Florida politics By
reason of the facts that he Is the only one
of the candidates from West Florila-by
which is meant that part Of the state
west of the Apalachicola river-identical
with all Of Florida Immediately south Of
Alabama and that West Florida is BE-
ieved to hold the key to the present GU
bernatorial situation, the candidacy OF
Maj. w. II. Milton, Jr., is attracting more
attention just at present than his real
strength in this contest would probably
otherwise warrant.
1t is claimed for Maj. Milton that he will
be supported by six of the seven counties
west of the Apalachicola; that he has
fighting chance to get some votes in the
seventh, Escambia county, in which Pen
sacola is located; and that he will carry
the counties of Alachua, Levy, Franklin
and Calhoun, in Central Florida. This
would give him. as a starter, about 30 of
the 2S2 votes to be cast i'm the convention
II is claimed by his friends that in the
early ballots he will hold this nucleus to-
gether quietly and remain in a receptive,
non-antagonistic attitude while his rivals
kill each other off.
Maj Milton is regarded as the
chief lieutenant in Florida of
limited States Senator Stephen r. Mallory,
and he expects to get whatever votes the
Senator can control-which are not num-
erous. In doing so much shrewd work TO
bring about Mr. Mallory's election as
result OF the memorable Call-Chipley SEN
atorial contest of 1897, Mr.. Milton won
the good will of many of the formerly
large faction which supported ex-senator
Coll With them that fight developed
into anything to beat Chipley" and
tney still feel kindly towards Maj Milton
for engineering the movement which then
elected Mr.. Mallory. Besides, the old Gail
faction Is opposed to all of the other i'm
portant candidates except Mr.. Milton, ard
he is said to be counting on finding con-
siderable strength in this quarter.
In a word, Mai. Millions candidacy
seems to be supported by conditions which
make him a dangerous factor in the race
rather than a particularly strong candi-
date At this time, he Is to be courted.
rather than feared, by the other candi-
dates.
The Strongest Candidates.
So much prominence attaches to Mai.
Milton's candidacy because the feet thar
he will really run for the gubernatorlu
nomination. has only recently become gem
orally understood and confirmed. None
of his opponents concede that he possesses
any substa show to win, and most
Of them refuse to admit that he will on
any ballot, receive as many as fifty votes
There is scarcely a doubt that the strong
est candidates for the gubernatorial NOM
nation at present are Senator Fred
Myers and Judge James d. Beggs. Judge
jennings and Mr. Mays are working Hike
beavers, and indications as to how these
four last named gentlemen will stand
relatively to each other when the ballot
ing begins are almost as vague to-day as
they We're four months ago.
Owing largely to the fact that a large
number Of the counties are sun extremely
doubtful and remarkable unsettled for
this stage of the contest. a prominent pol
iiician to-day summed up the situation as
between Messrs. Myers, Beggs Jennings
and Mays, as follows: Each Of them Is
gaining votes. and there are lots Of votes
nobody has got yet Fred Myers is the
most popular man OF the bunch but Judge
Beggs has a backing which holds almost
commanding position, while Jennings and
Mays are going ahead scooping up votes
which will be needed by the man who IS 10
get the nomination Myers VIII go into
the convention as second choice Of enough
delegates 10 nominate him. The question
Is, can he get these delegates TO drop
their favorites and vote for him before
trading gets too lively, and his chance
Slips by?"
1t is a significant fact that most of the
counties which are still not lined up for
either OF the candidates for the governor
ship are counties which In former years
always tied 70 one or the other Of the two
recently retired United States senators
Call or Pasco. They are known as "Call
counties" and "Pasco counties" and they
are destined 20 play "A very important
part In Florida politics this year
The Other Contests.
The gubernatorial contest has by no