The sun. (Jacksonville, Fla.) 1905-1908, 1906-08-04
Fourth Page

Nv
II there be one scepticai soul left within the
borders OF this peninsuar State who allows him
self to doubt the patriotism OF It's citizens, that
sceptical soul should transport his body to the
CAPITAL, 60 into the capiYOL, and ask Private
SECRETARY Wolfe to snow him the list OF those VINO
have applied for the job which will not be vaca-
ted by Its present incumbent until January LIST
next AS soon as Mr.. Bitten, who holds down the
position OF supervisor OF State Convicts, was
nominated as Democratic candidate for Railroad
Commissioner next fall these applications COM
menced to come In to the Governor. The job pays
only $1,000 year and travelling expenses, and the
work is hard and the proper performance OF the
duties brings the officer In contact with the dis
agreeable things In life so closely that 1t would
seem that most people would hesitate before
rushing In TO bear the evils they known OF Of 1t
Is impossible for me to give fgureE about the
applicants because before this nOllce reaches the
people the figures that would make would be
entirely wrong. To all of these applicants has
been sent letter bearing this legend Your le.-
ter received Your application was placed pn
file and will be considered when the matter of the
appointment is before me-" would not like to
guess to whom this little plum will fall because
nave long since quit keeping track OF the names
OF the pole wielders who are trying to knock 1t
down And then, again I'think that the people
can well aff0rd to wait until the plum falls because
they have some really important things to think
about In the meantime.
Speaking Of this convict inspector business re.
minds me that rumor has been daying with the
name OF the Hon Newton Bitch who made 40
fine run for Railroad Commissioner in the lat
primary In connection with the candidacy for
Governor In 1908 There is nothing In this Mr.
Bitch surely has too much sense to reach out for
another and higher office before he has had
time to serve any considerable part of the term of
the oftce which the people have given him. In
my opinion Mr.. Bitch will srve his full four-year
term as Railroad Commissioner before he even
thinks about asking himself whether or not he
wants to serve the people in higher sphere Of
usefulness. II Mr. Bitten has ambition to hold
down the high seat In the States public service
he has good chance to make record as Rail.
road Commissioner. This office calls for the ex.
ercise or hne discrimination, sound judgment and
marked executive ability, and man possessing
these has good opportunity to demonstrate that
TACT In this ONCE, and given the possession and
the demonstration, together with the personal
popularity OF Mr. Bitch, the Governors chair az
no distant date will not be beyond his reach pro-
vided, and there Is always alas for human ambi.
tion provided" some one else doesn't demon
strate his possession Of inner discrimination, ripper
Judgment and greater executive ability and at tho
same time get superior hold on the public afec-
tions.
Don't let any one run away with the idea that
Cromwell Gibbons Is not going to be candidate
for Governor. know Cromwell about as well as
1 know any politician whom l know at ALL and
knowing Cromwell have authorized myself I'd
say that Cromwell not only has a well developed
ambition to be Governor but an excessively muscu
lar determination not to curb his ambition
Cromwell was a politician before he struck Flor
Ida. He received his baptism of practical politics
which, as every one knows Is the kind that ALWAYS
wins. at the hands Of no less parsonage than
the Hon. Richard Croker The Great Chief of
Tammany Hall thought SO much Of Cromwelrs
ability as teacher and, at first glance, discov-
cred In Cromwell that wonderful evenness of tenn
per for which he Is now so famous that he put
him In charge Of one OF the schools conducted by
Tammany Hall in which foreigners just arrived
are taught to answer the questions put to them
by the Commissioners to whom they apply to be-
made into citizens OF this great Republic. Crou,-
well became so adept at this that he could enroll
a fiery Hun or a stolid Slav or benighted Dago
OF any description in his school one night and
turn him out full hedged American citizen tho
next day. There was only one failure recorded
In Cromwells career. He had an Italian In his
class who he was told could understand Engllsh.