The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1901-06-21
Mr.. FLAcLER As a SENATORIAL
POSSIBILITY.

he is Florida's foremost citizen.
1t says he has spent millions of dol
lars in improvements, and has done
more than any other dozen men to
make the state and its resources
known.
That he is good friend 10 Florida
that newspaper says there is no
doubt, but as to whether or not he de-
sires to represent the state of his
adoption in the United States Senate
it confesses that it does not know, but
il says there is one thing certain, that
Mr.. Flagler will deal with the people
of Florida in frank and straight-for-
ward manner. He will not pretend to
be what he is not.
Our Savannah contemporary says
that Mr.. Flagler is man possessing
qualities which command respect,
and that makes him a leader of men
in whatever field of endeavor he may
be active.
The News concludes its article as
follows:
"If the people of Florida should
elect Mr.. Flagler to the senate he will
serve the state well and faithfully"
1t goes without saying that Mr..
Flagler has done enough since coming
to Florida to command the esteem
and the love of our people.
He is a benefactor and his benfac-
tions have scarcely yet begun.
If a republican at his old home he
was sensible enough to know that it
would be unwise to disturb the politi-
cal conditions now existing here and
no one can say that since casting his
lot with our people that he has been
political disturber."
He is wise enough to know that 1T
would be unfortunate to their material
interests to have the republican party
obtain local control i'm any of the
southern states
With the millions of money at his
command, if Mr.. Flsgler had been a
politician partisan and animated by
the spirit of the reckless adventures
who came south Immediately after the
close of the civil war, he could have
made it extremely uncomfortable as
well as unfortunate for our people.
Fortunately he is inspired by no
such motives and his work in Florida
on all lines has been for the promotion
and elevation of the very best inter-
ests of the state, political as well as
material.
The Ocala Banner is in position to
set all guessing as to Mr.. Flagler's po-
litical aspirations at rest. 1t can state
authoritatively that he has no politi-
cal ambition to crafty and comes to
Florida with no such purpose in view.
He wants the people of Florida to be-
lieve that there has never been a time
in his life when he would have accept
ed any political office within the gift
of the American people. His ambi-
ton has been in other directions and
his life-wOrk on other lines. Success
full in other respects, had he desired
office there is little doubt but that he
could have had bis ambition amply
gratified without leaving his old
home.
Mr.. Flagler's life has been one of
industrious activity and has been
largely spent in the labor and for the
benefit of others. He now feels that
he has reached a period in life when
he can reasonably claim more of his
time for his own leisure and pleasure
and to that end is shaping his business
affairs. He is resigning all official po-
sitions in the large business enterprises
with which he is connected, and
speaking for large majority of the
people of Florida, We express the hope
that his declining years will be as
sweet song and that he may enjoy
that rest and quiet and happiness
which he seeks.
He is in love with our soft, balmy
cline, our clear, azure skies, our
health-imparting breezes. He loves