The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1902-1905, 1904-04-08
CAMPAIGN OF RECORDS.
Something About the Men Who
Seek the Offices of Governor
and u, S, Senator,

| seek Jne OIllceS Oh UONeTnOI
and U. S. Senator.
In contentious for office between
democrats reliance upon their res
pective records as citizens, as DEM
Ocrats and as public servants, is
practically indispensable, Hence
the pending campaign is one essen
| TALLY involving the civic merits, the
political fidelity and the value of the
public services of the several gentle
men who aspire to become the chO-
sen candidates of the democratic
party for the ofIices-which are to be
filled at the ensuing elections.
The four candidates for nomina-
ton to the governorship, Brown,
Broward, Mays and Davis, and the
four who seek the nomination as
United States Senator, Call, Jen-
nings, Stockton and Taliaferro, east
ly command the paramount atten-
| ton of the democratic electors of the
state. This is good time to COM
pare notes and ascertain where each
stands, now that one-half of the
campaign period intervening be-
tween the meeting of the state COM
mittee and the date of the primary
election has elapsed.
THE GUBFRNATORIAL RACE.
Mr.. Brown las been a useful and
exemplary citizen and a good aver
age legislator. His candidacy for
the governOrship has been taken Sc
riously by only q very few. OF the
l20-odd political newspapers in the
state, only one is devoted to his in
terest, and that one is owned and
edited by his son.
Mr.. Broward has been moderately
successful as a man of business, but
his political record is marred by his
persistent utilization with J. NJ. Bars
and John n. c.. Stockton, the "Three
Friends" of Duval County politics.
He was once sheriff of his county,
but was suspended from his office for
cause by Governor Mitchell, and his
suspension confirmed into permanent
removal by democratic state sen
ate. He has been a legislator, and as
such participated in securing the en-
actment of laws whereby the people
of the City of Jacksonville are de-
prived of the right of self govern
ment; and he vehemently advocated
the shameful scheme for the crea-
ton of gigantic state political ma
chine through the attempted es-
tablishment of the infamous dispen-
sary abominatiOn. During the Span
ish war he was engaged in the dan
gerous and unlawful occupation of
filibustering, and on this record,
coIlated into book form by himself,
he is asking the democrats of Flor
ida to choose him, a confessed law
breaker, to be their governor; whose
chief duty is to ''see that the laws
are faithfully executed
OF the three opponents of Mr.. Da-
Wis Mr.. Mays possesses by far the
cleanest record. He is an excellent
citizen, has been an honOred and
useful representative of his county
in the legislature, is true and
faithful democrat and was prOmi-
nent candidate before the last state
convention for nomination to the
office he now seeks. He would no
doubt make a satisfactory and con-
sentative governor, as would hun
dreds of his fellow democrats who
are not aspiring to the position; but
for obvious reasons his time for such
preferment, as in the case of many
another worthy and eligible citizens,
has not yet arrived.
Mr.. Davis, the leading candidate
for governor, is well known III every
quarter of the state to be a citizen
without reproach, democrat of I'M
impeachable fidelity; and as a public
servant of the people, as legislator,
as speaker of the Florida House of
Representatives, as delegate to ma
tiOnal conventions and as congress-
man for four successive terms, has
constructed for himself II record that
is practically invincible and unas-
sailable. Official duty has thus far
prevented extensive participation by
him in the active work of the cam
paign, but he is now visiting the
several sections of the state and is
everywhere received ty the people
with manifestations of approval and
enthusiasm which strongly indicate
his election as their favorite candi-
date in the first primary.
THE SENATORIAL CANDIDATES.
Mr.. Call was the latest of the can
didates for the United States Sena-
torship to enter the race, but he is |
conducting a lively campaign with
much of his old-time vigOr and |
spirit, although he is now over 20
years of age. Contrary to expecta-
tion, he appears not now to repre-
sent what was once Familiarity known |
as "Callism;" and has astonished |
both friends and adversaries by ut |
Jerances concerning corporate pow /
err "trusts, - etc., almost directly |
he reverse of those in which he was
wont to indulge in his former nu-
nerous campaigns. His mantle as
he apostle of fanatical antagonism
o those whom ne called "the corpo-
seems to have been dis
arded by Thin, to be assumed, in a
ather tattered and dilapidated con-
ikinn hu his fnrnnnr lieIltanant and