The weekly true Democrat. (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1905-1912, 1906-04-20
Campaign Grating and craNsrs.

lSouS VI may NNNB AVVN- FAo ~ eONSASS
on matters of great interest to the peo-
pie of the whole state, and is so full of
timely warnings we believe we can find
no better TO I'LL portion of our space
in this issue, and it here follows, with
the hope that careful reading may do
good:
The campaign preceding the primary
which has Just been held developed a
certain species of political parasite
which, while he may nave existed pre-
vious 10 tina: time, certainly took ad-
vantage of the occasion to push himself
into prominence-and also into dis
repute--in a manner never before par
alieled in the history OF Florida politics.
We refer particularly TO those apos-
ties of graft" and gluttons Of spoil
VINO made life so miserable Tor the cand-
id-te, disguised public sentiment and
outraged political decency by their
Waoiesale attempts at biackmall ana
their open efforts at vote-selling.
Ii was a situation which can be under
stood only by those who were brought
into direct contact with it, and it was
travesty on Independent citizenship
which ought to bring the blush of shame
to the cheek of every patriotic Florldian
The spectacle of men, calling them
selves American citizens, bartering
their birthrlghts and their assumed in
tiuence for few paltry dollars OF the
candidates money, claiming to repre-
sent clubs" and offering to secure
endorsements, with the presumed
denvery of the clubs membership vote,
for contributions ranging from $500 to
$4,000.
Bulldozing, threatening and black
mailing candidate until in sheer des-
peration he imagined he must ''pungle
up" or run the risk of an open boycott
on the part OF the leeches and the ag-
gregaJlon which they claimed to repre-
sent.
Every sort of plea-house rent due,
doctors bills to pay, drugs needed
anything, from drink OF Whlskey 10 a
six weeks salary--all were made, often
demanded, and it was hardy candidate
nueed VINO had the temerlty to turn the
applicant away without a part, at least, |
OF what he came for.
And then came subsequent visits, |
with demands for more, prefaced by in
of how much some opposing !
candidate had given or would give, all
followed by covert threats of what the |
boys" were likely to do if the candidate
did not "come across again.
1t was fine spectable-and, we are
pie ased to say, the first of the kind and
we nope the last, in Florida politics.
To the candidates who suffered them
selves to be bled-and there were few
who did MOTT all meant great deal
1t absorbed their money, their patience
and undoubtedly their faith in human
nature.
but to the community at large it
meant much more. IC was a blot upon
the fair name Of the State which will
require many years Of political chasti-
-y if there is sucn a thing-to wipe
out, and which good citizens everywhere
should have care is never again re-
Deated.
Letus be done with graft" once and
for all time, by so emphatic an expires
son of pubic ulsapproval that no whole
sale system of the kind, such as tound
practice in the last campaign, Will ever
again De attempted.
The Journal repuulishes the above ed
torial now because, even at this early
late, we think we discern certain evl-
lences of "A possible attempt 10 repeat
some of the grating practices which
made the campaign of 1904 the most no
.orious in that respect IN the history OF
the State And the Journal repeats now
Iat no such practices must again pre-
va in Escambia county.
There may be no law to prevent them,
but there is another element-that of
publicity which the Journal certainly
proposes TO invoke on the first evidence
which it receives of any attempt t.
yraft a political candidate. The name
# the man who gets the money and OF !
he candidate who pays 1t will be pub
Isned. If the old political club graft
S attempted, the name Of the club ana
he candidate will each be published
Some of these so called political
.lubs" have constituted the worst sort
# graft schemes
1t is no crime to organize a political
Tub On the contrary, where the proper !
motives prevail, it is creditable thing ,
o do
But the political club whose officers
lccept money from a candidate, for
whatever purpose, simply degenerates
nto the tool Of a set of grafters, who
Use and control il solely as a means of
pulling money out Of the pocket of >
very candidate who will submit 70 their
The money necessary to maintain
POLITICAL club should come from its own
nembers-not from candidates for Of
ice. If the club membership hasn't
enough self-respect to pay its own eX-
,enses it hasn't a very high idea of
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