The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1904-01-22
SENATOR TALIAFERRo'S LETTER.


the man who is q candidate for an Of
dee in Florida, especially for an emf
nent office, which others are also
seeking, no matter how commendable
he may be, is running gauntlet
where ssndbsgs, brickbats, rotten
eggs, dope and mud are in industrious
hands ready to haste him and bruis9
him until nothing but physical siren
uOusness and civic purity ingrained
in his mortal makeup will preserve
him from political blood pOisOning.
Mr.. HarIis's catalogue of high crimes
and misdeameanOrs against the prin-
cIples of Florida democracy which he
finds that Mr.. TaliaferrO's enemies
charge him with, must have made a
busy day for the senator when he
went about answering them, for evil
scatters like bad seed on the wind and
travels fast. Probably no statesman
or politician in the country gets more
opportunities and prOvOcations to de-
fend himself against all manner of
false charges, and does less defending
than Senator Plat, of New York
state. This method of meeting his
enemies seems to go well with him,
however, and it would seem that Sen
atOr TaliaferrO might copy the
method and come out of the war be-
ing waged against him with the
veriest minimum of satisfaction to
his enemies. But such y status is one
of the premiums of craftsmanship
that takes longer than one senatorial
term to gail. The fact of men hav'
ing enemies is sign of merit. This
is an ancient idea, it is true, but the
race of statesmen will perish when
there are no new applications for the
idea.
Mr.. Harris's letter is OppOrtune. II
il well for a manltO know what his
enemy says about him, and to answer
him, especially when there must
necessarily be some who are willing
to believe what the enemy says. Thus
it is Mr.. Stockton has proclaimed Mr..
TallaferrO as unworthy TO be our
JUNIOR senator, and by all earnestness,
indeed a passion worthy of better
cause, and by an appeal to the sensa-
tive ear of that poverty which is ever
ready now TO hear its own justifica-
ton accounted for by charging it to
the success of the thrifty, this inn
patient but hopeful candidate for Mr..
Taliaferro's position has cOrralled a
following which will not be numerous
enough for success, yet sufficient in
the importance that comes of re-
spectacle citizenship of Florida to
command the respectable attention
and truthful explanation of Mr.. Talia-
ferro.
A minimum of greatness, a mimi
mum of mediOcrity, and a maximum
hf inutility in men born for politics
seems in many cases equally attrac.
tive for the elective franchise as Is the
maximum of greatness. It's a poor
excuse of candidate that has no fol-
lowing, as political incidents, ac-
cidents and miracles reveal. Just so
with Mr.. Stockton.
The nine counts in the indictment
formed by Mr.. Stockton which Mr..
Harris says forms the basis of the
charges of high crimes and misde-
meanOrs of the senator against the
party whose vote he anticipates Cor
comprising his election not only in
volve the political, but the personal
integrity of Mr.. TaliaferrO as SEN
atOr, citizen and as democrat.
Mr.. Stockton were able to prove
them, then, indeed, he may be said
to not only be doing the state some
service, but protecting the democra-
tic party of Florida from traitor.
But, on the other hand, if Mr.. Stock
ton does not prove these charges, then
what is his position before the atate
rs a citizen and as a member of the
democratic party? Is it any better
than that in which he has so passion
ately sought to place Mr.. TaliaferrO?