The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-02-17
INKS LIKE BEGGS OR MYERS.
w FLORIDA's GUBERNATORIAL
RACE is SIZED UP.

Tallahassee Man and So Is Can
,;date Myers-Mays and Jennings
,.e Not Considered Winners This
Year.
tallahassee, Fla, Feb. 16.-Easily the
&c, important figure on the political
i,o.rd in Florida at this time is the con-
,est for the Democratic gubernatorial nom-
,,o,on. and that contest is rapidly taking
definite shape.
| # has not quite reached the stage where
tbe list of counties can be called off and
marked down with any large degree of ac-
crracv to the candidate who will receive
their respective votes; but in genera.
way the relative strength of the five an
rolpced candidates for the nomination is
Incoming quite easy of discernment.
The contest mas now been in progress
for the better part of a year, and while
there has been no great fuss made over
If each asplrant has been hard at worn,
and the state has been thoroughly can
vassed The nominating conve ltion viii
meet about three months hence, and in
that lime it is understood that Floridians
will be gwen all the politics theJ can
stand.
Two Of the candidates-States Attorney
Jan.es D. Beggs of Orlando and Judge
william Sherman Jennings of Brooksville
are from South or Peninsular Florida;
two others-State Senator Fred T. Myers
of Tallahassee and Former Speaker D. il.
Mays of Monticello-are from Middle Flor
ida. and enc, Maj. William H. Milton, il,
of Marianna is from West Florida 1t il
said tina. Maj. Milton is not really cam
didate for the gubernatorial nomiua ton,
and that only his friends have been push
ing his name forward. Maj Milton is quite
as much spoken of for one of the cabinet
offices, as he is for the governorship
1t Is a Sectional Fight.
AT any rate, the contest now lies be-
tween the other gentlemen, and, on ac-
count of the places of their residence, it
has developed into more or less of a sec
tonal fight-south Florida against Middle
Florida. This feature tends to complicate
the situation.
II is rather nearer the exact truth to
say that many of the friends of Judge
Beggs, who undoubtedly has the support
ties, are using as an argument in his ia
vor the fact that Senator Myers, his
strongest opponent, lives in Tallahassee,
which is also the home of the present Gov
ernOr, Hon. w. d. BloXham; claiming that
it is now nothing more than just and fair
that South Florida, which claims not to
have had her share in the distribution
of political prizes in recent years, should
now be given the governorship, for which,
in The person of Judge Beggs, she presents
an entirely suitable candidate.
1t is not understood that Judge Beggs
himself has sought to make capital out
of the incident of Senator Myers resi-
dence He is said to be making his fight
solely on his record as a man and as a
public servant. II is a significant fact,
however, that a very large number of the
Beggs workers are expressing themselves
about like this:
oh. Fred Myers is all right; we all
know he'd make a tip-top Governor; but
Tallahassee can't expect two Governors
in succession, when she has other officers
at the same time. South Florida demands
this recognition now, and Jim Beggs is
her candidate"
Senator Myers Chances.
That is the way a considerable number
size up the situation. Undoubtedly, Sen
ator Myers is to some extent Handicapped
by being a resident of the same town
W1eTe tno present ATONeTIOT lives DuL his
friends claim that the force of that OBJ
lection to him will be lost when his Su
perior qualifications for the office and his
whole clean and brilliant record is fully
placed before the people and the conven-
ton.
1t is generally admitted that Senator
Myers has a record for usefulness to the
state which will serve him well in the final
struggles of this contest, Both he and
Judge Beggs have given literally of their
time and their thought to the interest of
the people, and there will doubtless be
many delegates in the convention who
Will sincerely regret that both these
worthy gentlemen cannot be the next
Governor. 1t seems certain that both will
receive a strong support, which will stand
by them Loyalty
As to the Corporations.
1t has been whispered around over the
state almost openly that Judge Beggs is
going to receive the united support of the
large transportation companies and inter-
ests allied Herewith, all of which are be-
lieved by many to exert a tremendous in
huence in Florida politics. This rumor
cannot be traced to the men representing
the large corporate in question, but 1t
Is made very plausible by the fact that
in his professional career Judge Beggs has
long been regarded as being friendly to
those men. He is the local attorney for
one of the railroads, but Senator Myers,
too, is general counsel for one of the
smaller lines. 1t is said by a good author
ity that while the corporation interests
may feel friendly to Judge Beggs, still
they are not fighting Senator Myers in
any way, and would be perfectly satisfied
with either of these gentlemen in the eX-
ecutive' chair. 1t is probable, however,
that II either of the candidates does Sc
cure what is called the RAILROAD back
ing" he will thereby have his victory half
won.
Situation Summed Up
A Tampa lawyer and politician who was
In this city last night. summed up the
situation follows: IF any man in Mid
die and West Florida can win the gu
bernatorial nomination, as the contest
now stands, II is Fred Myers. If Myers
can't make 1t. Beggs will They are MAX
Ing race fit for thoroughbreds. AS to
Mays and Jennings? Well, they are splen-
did fellows; say something very common
oh of fbor .