The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1902-1905, 1903-10-30
ROBERT v. DAVIS
t
Announces His Candidacy for.
The OfiiCe Ot Governor,
And Incidentally Constructs a Most
Excellent Platform.
Palatka, Fla, Oct. 26, 1903.
TO THE DEMOCRATIC VOTERS OF
FLORIDA:

Florida and in three or four address,
es delivered in the state have given
my attitude on the several public
questions which seem to be upper
most in the minds of the people.
The time seems now to have arrived
when | may with prOpriety, adopt
this method of placingln my candidacy
more formally before you.
want to say that ! do not look
lightly upon the responsibility / am
assuming in even becoming candi-
date, to say nothing of the serious
responsibilities | would assume
should | become Governor. No
thoughtful man can contemplate this
undertaking without grave appre-
tensions. Nor do | discount the
worth and ability of the distinguish
ed Floridians who have already Ell
tered the same field and who are as
pirants for the same office. They are
gentlemen of high character and un-
questioned patriotism. AS | could
say nothing truthfully against them
in private life | shall not, for the
sake of obtaining office, undertake,
by inn uendO or otherwise, to cast
aspersiOns upon them or either OF
them in public life. 1t is not iinpor-
tant or necessary to the people of
Florida that | should be Governor,
but it is important to them, and it is
essential to the future prosperity of
the state, that political schisms,
chickering's and contentious should be
avoided. l shall contribute as little
toward that kind of politics as may
be permitted to do.
NV career has been comparatively
humble and uneventful. 1t is all
summed up in the following brief eN-
tract which | take from the Con-
gressiOnal Directory:
Robert W. Davis Democrat of Ialatka, was
horn in Lee County, Ga March l5 lS49 and is
the son of Rev. Jesse NJ Davis, stinguished
Baptist minister; was educated In the common
schools of his native state; entered the Conted-
era e service at II years Of age, and surrender.
ed with the army of Gen. Jos. E. J0hnstone at
the close Of the war; worked on a farm for sew
elal years after the war; ad law, and was ad.
mitted to the bar at 20 years OF age; removed to
Florida in 1879; was elected to the legislature
from Clay County of the latter State In 1881;
was elected speaker of the House of Rcpresen-
tatiyes at the session of 1885; was ballotCd for
for Governor of Florida in the State convention
held in st. Augustine In 1898, and though he
had n large following, failed to receive the
;
the Florida Southern Railroad Company in
1885, which position he resigned when elected
to Congress; was elected to the FIFTY NTH,
Flty-siXth, and Flfy-seventh Congresses and
reelected to the Fifty eighth Congr, SIS without
opposition.
MY POLITICAL PRINCIPLES.
I have been, during all my man
hood DAYS. Democrat, standing al
ways on my party's platforms and
obeying it's edicts. | was a delegate to
the Chicago convention of 1896 andwas
theFIorida member of the committee
on platform and resolutions, voting
with the majority of that committee.
During the memorable campaign
which followed and during the cam
paign of 1900 | did all could, in
my humble way. to advance the prin-
ciples enunciated by the councils of
my party and contended for by VIM.
j. BRYAN. ! am now serving my
fourth term in the Congress of the
United States, and since | became a
member of the House of Representa-
tives / have voted, in one form or an
other, on every important principle
for which we fought. / am willing
to be Judged by my record there. |
40 nOJ pItGtllO W lldNC NObCu IlS hu
always. In the haste and confusion
of legislative body men often err,
but upon all questions of principle
for which my party battled | tried to
be consistent. | believe no charge to
the contrary has been lodged against
me. The Record is accessible to all
and l appeal with confidence to that.
SERVE NO MASTER.
AS have served no master since l
have been.in Congress save only the
will of the people, | shall serve no
other should l become Governor.
STATE MATTERS.
am connected with no corporation
either directly or indirectly nor do |
own stock in any nor am | controlled
by any. But do not indiscriminate-
| ly denounce them or rail against
| them. AS there are good men and
bad so there are good and bad corpo-
rations. They are the creatures OF
law. They could not exist if we our,
selves, by and through our legisla-
lures, did not create them and give
them life. They exist by our per.
mission and are not necessarily in
imical to the public veal. Nor is a
man a public enemy because he be-
longs to or is employed by railroad
company or q steamship line or q
| bank. Many of our best and most
! hOnored citizens are so employed
while thousands of our young men
sons of farmers and artisans and
merchants alike, are entering these
! fields of human endeavor. Corpora.
! tions, however, being creatures OF
law should be controlled by law and
when they undertake to go beyond
their charter powers or to ignore the
public good they should be checked
To this end | believe we should
maintain railroad commission vest.
ed with ample power and differed
by men of wisdom and patriotism.
am opposed to Trusts and have Sc
voted in Congress,
| believe the primary system fol
nominating party candidates is the
! best and only true method for arriv.
/ ing at the real and untrammelleC
will of the people. We should main
tain and perfect our primary plan.
| trust my public life has been
such as to make it unnecessary for me
to assure my friends that I favor
progress, good government, good
schools and colleges; the fostering
care by the State of the old soldier.
of the South; good roads, peace
temperance and good order. For the
maintenance and upholding of all Of