The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1902-06-12
TROUBLES OF THEIR OWN.

People who think that all the faction
fighting and industrious knitting are con-
fined to the Republicans in the Northern
States, are not observant Of the less noisy
but quite as deadly work being done
among the Democrats of the solid South.
Even in far-off Florida the Senatorial sit
uatiop seems to be little less intense than
in South Carolina. In 1897 Stephen Rus
sell Mallory was elected to the Senate
after hot fight, in which Senator Viii
kinson Call was defeated. The latter was
not crushed, by long shot, however, and
now enters the race again with fiery
challenge to Mallory, as follows:
II respectfully request you TO meet me
In canvass before the people for their
choice of a Senator of the United States
from Florida for the term commencing
with the end Of the term which you have
occupied. / shall contest your right to
reelection on the following grounds:
'1st. You accepted the office when the
Democratic people of the State had chosen
another person by a great majority You
agreed to defeat the will of the Demo
cratic people under n coalition of a minor
ity of members of the Legislature with a
faction of the Corruption Party in a great
contest between them and the people of
the State in which all the vital principles
Of the Democratic Party were at stake,
and in which they were overthrow and
the State delivered to the control of the
Corruption Party by your acceptance Of
the Office OF Senator.
I'D. Because in your official term you
have spoken no word and taken no action
for the defeat of the Corruption Party in
the State, which by the most notorious
and lavish bribery and fraud has sought
and still seeks TO govern the State through
control of the Democratic Party.
Sd. Because it was by your action
in the Legislature of the State that the
homesteads of the people ON a vast por-
ton of the public lands of the United
States in West Florida and in all parts
of the State were confscated and made
the property unlawfully of private indi-
superintendent the people left
homeless, and made subject to the most
cruel extortions for freight and transpOr-
tation against which you have been en-
tirely mute and inactive.
18th. Because the Democratic Party in
the State is divided into factions, one of
which is the Flagler-Parrott faction. gov
erned by professed Republican. repre-
scented in the Senate of the United States
by Vice President Of the Standard Oil
Company, living, as it is currently report
ed, in palace in boundless luxury ana
splendor, with liveried servants and ar
mortal bearings, who claims to be free
silver anti-subsidy Democratic Senator
from Florida; the other by the Stockton
faction, now both united in your support
and in opposition to me and to all the true
interests of the people. l therefore an
nounce to you my candidacy and request
YOU to meet me in joint discussion before
the people at the appointments, a list of
which i herewith furnish you.
Il do not think the interests of the
State will suffer by your absence from the
Senate while We discuss before the people
these issues and the wide divergence of
opinion and action between you and me-"
This seems to open up very pretty
little fight, which we can view with the
placid impartiality of the old lady who
rooted" at the fight between her husband
and the bear.