The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-09-02
FLORIDA'S
STATE POLITICS
Discussion of Men and Measures and
Timely Story
Timely Story.

say. The Governor-who, by the way,
is expected to return from his Cali
fornia trip to-day-is not talking for
publication, and it can at this juno
ture only be said that those nearest
him seem to believe he will eventual
ly enter the race.
Should the Governor go into the
hight, 1t would be one of the most ex-
citing and interesting ever seen in a
state which has in years past held its
breath over more than one battle
royal. 1t is true that no man who has
ever occupied the gubernatorial chair
in Florida has added one inch to his
political stature after the expiration
of his term of office-Perry, Fleming,
Mitchell and Bloxham-all seem to
have said the last word and turned the
last leaf in the inscrutable volume of
political preferment when they put on
the robes of office. But times change,
and with them, men and man
ners. New precedents are set
every day now, and ii may be that
Florida's young and energetic chief
executive will rise superior to the rule
that has hitherto obtained.
Not long ago in the Leon Hotel in
THIS city sat man grown gray in
political Warfare and political wis
. dom, who discoursed at length upon
this very subject.
NO. gentlemen" he said, you are
wrong. No man, who has escaped the
undertaken is so dead as the man who
has been Governor of the sovereign
state Of Florida. He is a 'has-been'
with a vengeance. He has a past but
no differentiation, but no opportuni-
ty-foes. but no friends.
I speak from experience" contin-
ued the veteran. LAS you all know,
l had the honor of being Gov. Rlank's
private secretary. have lived through
all this, and / saw the earth close
over the remains of my friends DO
litical career. Up to the. adjournment
OF the last Legislature meeting in his
term of office, a governor of this state
has 'pulF-he has places to give awav
positions to bestow. In other words
he has friends. After the adjournment
of the last Legislature he is the loneli-
est man this side of Robinson Crusoe
lie has nothing more to give-he is a
mack number. His friends evan
crate into thin air. And as he
mas made two enemies to one
friend by every appointment he has
made he has all the help he wants
when he goes down and out into politi-
cal Oblivion so thick that it can be cut
with knife. Somebody give me a
match"
Out of the soft summer darkness
that had fallen about the broad veran-
dab, came grave voice as the cynic
lighted his cigar From the grand pi
ano in the lighted parlor came a fugi-
tive strain of rag time and the CAV
tinkle of idle women's voices. And
then the graver voice:
But there is one thing you for
get"
And that -"
That your chief was one man-that
7 ours is quite another. Your Governor
pardon me for saying twas some
thing of an accident Ours is all
achievement and strenuous effort and
self-help. Yours was old. COMPARE
lively; ours is young, comparatively.
politicians made your man; but, by
George, my Governor made himself
and l don't believe he is half through
with the job-either!"
Give me another match" drawled a
cynical voice from the shadows 81
told you a Governor had friends
now And the piano played on.