The weekly true Democrat. (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1905-1912, 1905-10-13
REFORn

|
full and accomplished editor Of the Bar
tow Record publishes an article which
we gladly reproduce below, cheerfully
adopting it's rather optimistic conelu-
sion, that whenever the masses Of the
people are sufficiently advised Of the
existence of condition requiring united
action on their part, in the direction OF
reform, they may be relied upon to act,
and act promptly. Suchs condition ex-
listed from 1901 to 1904 in Florida, and
it's effects still blight the good name of
the party which (nominally, at least)
stands for good governmental condi-
tions. 1t is the province of the press
to point out the wayo of reform; it is the
prerOgative and the duty--of the peo-
/ pie TO effect it, And we believe with
the Record, that that is just what the
people will do at the next general cleo
. ton:
/ That conditions exist in the admins
. tration Of government affairs that need
reforming is a self-evident fact. For a
/ time every day that passed brought to
/ light some newact of rascality. Every
paper in the country published dis
| patches telling of graft in some depart
ment Of government or commercial &C
/ tivity. There was a cotton leak and a
tobacco leak, and indications pointed
that the entire departmental government
was rotten to the core. Now we have
for our consideration, and to some it is
a matter for alarm, the scandal and I'M
] - 81 AtuhAnngf dc N hn
| part of the insurance companies. The
| government printer has been displaced.
and in our own State some of the pa
pers are endeavoring to prove that
there has been graft in the awarding of
the State printing
Do these facts indicate that our sys-
TEN of government is lacking in any
particular? We think not. 1t is too
trite to repeat that the remedy is in the
hands of those who exercise the right
Of suffrage 1t is evident on the face
Of it that if honest men were put in
office honest administration of govern
ment affairs would be the result Any
one knows this, and the question is how
TO arouse the public's conscience to the
point where the voting public will rise
up and rid the country of these evils.
/ The alarmists who are crying that
this country is going to destruction at
break-neck speed are unsafe leaders
and do little toward moulding public
opinion.
Every crisis has been successfully met
by the government, and every crisis
that is to come will be successfully met.
Reforms at the ballot box, however, are
not brought about in day, or in year.
1t has taken years in more than one in.
stance for the people of this country to
come TO a realization that reform was
necessary. When such realization did
break on the voting populace the result
was quick and final. So it will be with
the grafters. When the voting popula-
ton of America come to realize that the
government is rotten and that a new
regime is needed the result will be in
evitable. Whether the Republican party
will be placed in the background and
the Democratic party again placed in
power cannot be foreseen. A revOlu-
ton at the ballot box can, however, be
safely predicted.
The past history of this country is not
such as would indicate that the people
can be fooled all the time. 1t rather
indicates that they are quick and def
mite in their decisions against false ideas
and erroneous theories. The need,
lUtItlOItt III Wis NOullNiy lOudy 10 all
awakening of public conscience. The
press is a powerful factor in moulding
public opinion. The great journals are
not predicting immediate and inevitable
destruction, but are rather throwing the
searchlght of the press on the affairs
of the government and giving TO the
public the true facts. With these facts
before them, the people will in their
own good time bring about the reform.
The alarmists have no reason for panic
There is reason for reform, and the re-
form will inevitably come about
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The News has always been an anti
corporation paper 1t has always OPP
posed the trusts and done it's little best
against their influence in politics; yet
our support has always come from the
conservatives-th people who do not
like our politics. The people who ought
to be on our subscription lists-the
country people are conspicuous by
their absence. Why is this thus? Mon
ticello News.
Suppose you try making a newspaper
for the whole people railroads and
other corporations included with a
motto something like ours equal
rights to all" Gncluding the corpora
tions) and Special privileges to none "
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When an honest man is unjustly
- 4 L.