The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1904-01-29
A REMeRKeBLE PIPER.
Gel. Sob. Davis Presents His Claims
to the People Of Florida.

Cots SOB DAVIS FreSentS MS StdtmS
to the People Of Florida.
To the Democratic Voters of Florida:
have heretofore announced my can
didacy for the governOrship of Florida
and in three or four addresses deliver
ed in the state have given my attitude
on the several public questions which
seem to be uppermost in the minds of
the people. The time seems now to
have arrived when 1 may, with pro-
priety, adopt this method of placing my
candidacy more formally before you.
want to say that L do not look light
ly upon the responsibility am assum-
ing in even becoming a candidate, to
say nothing of the serious responsible
tiles 1 would assume should 1 become
governor No thoughtful man can
contemplate this undertaking without
grave apprehensiOns. Nor do 1 dis
count the worth and ability of the dis
tinguished Floridians who have already
entered the same field and who are as
pirants for the same office. They are
gentlemen of high character and I'M
questioned patriotism. AS 1 could say
nothing truthfully against them in pri-
vate life, shall not, for the sake of OBJ
tanning office, undertake, by innuendo
or otherwise, TO cast aspersiOns upon
them or either of them in public life.
IL is not important or necessary to the
people of Florida that / should be gov
eFnor. but it is important to them. and
IL is essential to the future prosperity
of the state, that political schisms,
chickering's and contentious should be
avoided. 1 shall contribute as little to-
ward that kind of politics as 1 may be
permitted to do.
My career has been comparatively
~ humble and uneventful. 1t is all
summed up in the following brief ex-
tract which I take from the Congress
sional Directory:
Robert w. Davis. democrat, of Pa
latka, was born in Lee county, Ga,
March Is, 1S49, and is the son of, Rev.
Jesse NJ. Davis, distinguished Baptist
minister: was educated in the COM
mon schools Of his native state; entered
the Confederate service at fourteen
years Of age. and surrendered with the
army of General Joseph L. Johnston at
the close of the war: worked on a farm
fer several years after the war; read
law and was admitted 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 |
1854; was elected speaker of the House |
Of Representatives at the session of |
1885; was ballOted for for governor of |
Florida in the state convention held in |
st. Augustine in 1883, and though he J
had large following, failed to receive |
the nomination; was made general at
torney for the Florida Southern Rail- |
road Company in 1885. which position /
he resigned when elected TO Congress:
was elected to the Fifty-Fifth, Fifty
Sixth and Fifty Seventh Congresses
and reelected TO the Fifty Eighth Con-
gress without opposition"
My Political Principles
I have been during all my manhood
days, "a democrat, standing always on
my party's platforms and obeying its
edicts. I was a delegate to the Chica-
go convention of 1896. and was the !
Florida member of the committee on
platform and resolutions, voting with
the majority OF that committee. Dur
ing the memorable campaign which
followed and during the campaign of
1890 1 did all 1 could, in my humble
way, to advance the principles enun-
ciated by the councils Of my party and
cOntended for by VIM. J. Bryan. I am
now serving my fourth term in the
Congress Of the United States, and
since became a member of the House
Of Representatives have voted, in one
form or another, on every important
principle for which we fought. 1 am
willing TO be judged by my record
there. do not pretend to have voted
right always. In the haste and confus-
ion Of legislative body men often err.
but upon all questions Of principle for ,
which my party battled 1 tried to be
consistent. believe no charge to the