The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-04-23
FL0RIDA'S ONE CLOSE RACE.
IT WILL BE THE CONTEST FOR THE
GOVERNORSHIP.

-Four of the Cabinet Officers Have
Opposition. hut In No Case Does 1t
Seem To he Greatly Feared-How
the Various Candidates Appear to
BE Running - Talk of n Clean
Sweep in the State House Has sub
sided
Tallahassee. Fla, April 22-It is begin
ming 10 look like "A certainty that the
only real close and "scrappy" political
contest which is to stir the democracy OF
Florida over the nominations for state
Offices is the gubernatorial race. The
best posted politicians are becoming quite
free in expressing the opinion that every
one of the present cabinet officers-six in
number-and Justice Carter of the Su-
preme Court and Railroad Commissioner
Morgan will easily secure denominations
which mean reflections.
Four of the cabinet officers have oppo-
sition this year, but in no case does the
opposition seem to be much feared. State
Senator j. II. n. Bynum of Suwannee
county is a candidate for the nomination
for Secretary of State against DR.. John
l.. Crawford who has held that post since
January, 1881. Mr.. Bynum is a lawyer
of ability and prominence at Live Oak.
and the talk is that if there was any
considerable demand. for a change in the
first place in the cabinet Mr.. Bynum
would be considered an excellent man for
the place.
Lamar and Sheats.
The friends of Attorney General Lamar
seem TO be entirely satisfied that he will
be renominated, probably on the first bal
LOT, The only other asprant for this Of
fee is Judge James r. Wills of Bradford
county, a good lawyer who ID is said
would make a much stronger fight if
Mr.. Lamar did not enjoy the telling ad-
Vantages of wider personal popularity
extensive political experience and a re-
markedly successful record at the states
chief law officer in protecting her lti-
gated interests
Indications are that unless much
stronger contestant is brought out for
the office of state superintendent of pub
lie instruction than either of the gentle
men who have announced-Prof Tom f
McBeath, the Jacksonville poet-editor, and
Prof, ]. H. Fulks of Jefferson-the pres
ent incumbent, Hon. William N. Sheate
will be renominated on an early ballot
Mr. Sheats has been often and sometimes
harshly criticized for alleged mismanage-
ment of the states public schools, and Mr.
McBeath has been a leader among his
critics. His friends insist, however that
the trouble lies in the fact that the meth
DDS of the superin endent are so modern
and progressive that his opponents can
neither understand nor appreciate them.
WombweII's Opposition.
Commissioner of Agriculture Lucius B.
Wombwell Is the only other state officer
who has any opposition for denomination,
and for a month past comparatively little
has been heard of this opposition For
a while during the winter State Senator i.
r. McLin Of Lake county seemed TO be
developing some real strength as a candi-
date but the handsome manner in which
Mr.. WombwelPs friends in all portions of
Florida fastened to tender their support
for his denomination seems to have thrown
a damper upon the aspirations of Senator
McLin and of the two other gentlemen
who announced for the office-Re presenta-
tive S. T. Overstreet of Suwannee county
and Hon. Sam Robertson of Washington
county.
The chief topic of political discussion in
Florida last summer and autumn was the
widespread demand made by the state
press for a clean sweep in the administra-
tive offices at the capital. Leaders in po-
litical thought, who have closely followed
the agitation which has now pretty well
subsided. say that IL has demonstrated
two interesting facts: First, that the peo-
pie of Florida generally are well satisfied
with the records made by the present
heads of departments In the state govern
nent; and second, that the annual salary
of 5000 paid each cabinet officer Is too
small to attract into competition for these
offices men who are regarded as strong
enough, either as practical politicians or
as prospective administrators of state al
fairs to make such a race for the offices
as would seriously disturb the equanimity
of the present incumbents.