The Savannah morning news., 1902-05-05
FLORIDA'S POLITICS
FIRST PRIMARY IN HISTORY OF
STATE TO BE HELD.
HOT CAMPAIGN IS NOW ON.
FIGHT IN THIRD DISTRICT Is
INTERESTING.


First, and Sparkmun i'm the Second
VIII Return to COngress-Lnmar,
Myers and Beard Are Making
Things Warm for Each other in
the New District on the West side
of the state.
Tallahassee. Fla, May 4.-The politi-
cal campaign in Florida is fairly on.
A little over two months now and the
Democrats of Florida will hold the
first state primary in the history of
the state At the recent meeting of
the State Executive Committee in
Jacksonville there was a secret move
on the part of those opposed to pri-
maries to call off the primary for 1904.
but they fell short of their aim.
In the primary this year there are
several of the state officers to be elect
ed besides one United States senator
and three congressman, which will ere
ate quite an amount of interest. For
the United States senatorship there
is but one avowed candidate, the pres
ent incumbent-Hon. Stephen Russell
Mallory of Pensacola. Mr.. Mallory
was elected to his present position by
the Legislature of 1897 as the compro-
mise candidate of the Call Stockton
faction. and those members of the
Legislature who were opposed to the
election of Col. w. D. D. Chipley of
Pensacola. The contest was the most
exciting in the history of the state.
Chipleys vote had gradually increased
until he had nearly enough to give him
the required majority. Seeing this, the
Call Stockton forces issued a call for
a caucus of all members of the Legis-
lature opposed to the election of Chip
ley. Senator MallOrys name was pre-
sented TO them and on the first ballot
he received only a few votes, but as
the balloting proceeded he gained
strength and finally won the nomina-
ton. The next day in the joint session
of the Legislature he was elected by
a small majority thereby defeating
the corporation candidate.
MaIIOry's Opponents Flicker.
1t has been thought all along that
Mallory would have violent opposition
for reelection. The opposing forces
were divided as TO who should make
the race against the senator, and in
the meantime, Mallory, who had COM
pletely regained his health, was max
ing an enviable record in the United
States Senate. Frank Adams and Con-
gresham S. NJ. Sparkman of Tampa
were both regarded as men who would
likely contest for the senator's place.
In the fall Senator Adams, whose home
is in Jasper, gave out a signed state
ment to the effect that he was consid-
ering the advisab ility of entering the
race for United States senator and
that he would make a definite an
nntlnnannanf an HrGf IF To
When that time arrived the senator
announced that he would not contest
for Mallory's seat, but would be a cam
didate for the state Senate from Nam-
ilton county. This put a rest all hopes
of his friends who had wanted to see
him in the United States Senate. The
eyes of the people were then turned
to Sparkman, who has said time and
again that he was in the hands of his
friends and that if the people wanted
him iii the Senate he would make the
r"ce, but Mallory had been gradually
coming to the front at Washington
and had acquired such an influence
in the Senate that it almost drove
opposition away from him. 1t is now
almost too late for Sparkman to enter
and there seems to be no doubt that
Mallory WIFI be returned without any
opposition. His growing strength in
the United States Senate is looked up
on with great pride by the people of
the state who are not willing just now
to sacrifice him.
In the First Congressional district
Robert w. Davis will be returned to
Congress without any opposition. He
is one of the most popular officehold-
ers in. the state. The situation in the
Second district has been somewhat in
a muddle owing to the announcement
of Mr.. Sparkman, the present incum-
wanted him to make the race against
Mallory he stood ready to do so. Rob
ert McNamee, Speaker of the House
Of Representatives in 1899 was looked
upon as the probable successor Of
Sparkman should he (Sparkman) de-
eide TO run for the Senate. McNamee
of course, never announced his candi-
dacy to succeed Sparkman and the
present incumbent at present has no
opposition, and none is looked for.
Hot Fight in the Third.
The Third Congressional district will
be the scene of the hottest fight of the
campaign. The Third district is the
new district, and there are three can
didates aspiring to represent it for
the first time in Congress. William
b. Lamar, Attorney General of the
state, was the first to announce his
candidacy, and he has been making
vigorous campaign for the place.
Later on John S. Beard and Charles
B. Parkhill, both of Pensacola. en-
tered the race. making it a three-cor-
nered one. In January last Mr.. Parkhill
Withdrew and gave as his reason that he
thought it was an inauspicious time
Tor any man from Pensacola to aspire
for political office whose candidacy
would in any way injure the chances
of Mallory for reelection This left
the contest between Beard and Lamar.
and Lamar would have won by an
overwhelming majority, but the cor
poration crowd in this district and
over the state generally did not like
the idea of Lamar being in Congress
and they began looking the field over
for suitable candidate to run against
him. They found the candidate in the
person of Frederick T. Myers of this
city, who is making the fight of his
life for the place.
The race is certain to be a close one.
as Myers is backed by the corporations
and they know how to put up a stiff
fight, but the odds are in favor of La
mar, while no one pays much serious
attention to the candidacy of Beard of
Pensacola.
Myers was defeated two years ago
for the governorship at the conven-
ton in Jacksonville and he hesitated
long time before entering this con-
test, knowing that another defeat fol-
lowing that at Jacksonville would end
his political career. Ee Is a gentleman
of the highest integrity an able law
yer, and a brilliant orator and his
candidacy will add much interest n