The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1906-05-12
MR.. SISTRUNK'S
STRONG STATEMENT
The Candidate for State Attorney for
the Fifth Judicial Circuit Exposes
Some Political ViIIainy and Refutes
False Charges and lnsinuations.

Some Political ViIIainy and Refutei
False Charges and Insinuations.
Editor Star-As 1 am not response.
bic for the different reports circulat.
ed and articles printed in the various
newspapers published in this circuit
Ii has been foreign to my intention t
make any expressions to the voters
| through the columns of the newspa-
pers, but as the monkeys have seized
the paw Of one William DeHon," and
by fear or hope of reward have
caused him to subscribe his name to 9
false, misleading and deceptive arti-
Gle, which was first published in the
Ocala Banner, and afterwards pub
lished in nearly every paper printed in
the fifth judicial circuit, in justice tC
myself and fairness to the voters OF
the district, I deem it expedient to give
the facts in the case, and then let the
voters on the 18th day of May, with
out being biased from deceptive polit-
ical articles containing false impress
sions. by their ballot say who shall be
their next state attorney
The article signed by William De-
Hon" and prepared by himself and six
other parties. makes three charges
against me:
First. That as a member Of the
State Convention in 1900. 1 voted for
W. S. Jennings as a candidate for gov
ernor.
Second. That as a member Of the
last legislature 1 voted to increase the
salary Of state attorney.
Third. BY having voted for the bill
increasing the salary OF state attor-
ney, I am under the State Constitu-
ton disqualified for the office OF state
attorney.
Had the 'DeHon gang" explained
these matters in full, and not only in
part, an explanation would not have
been necessary by me. but as they
have seen 1T to stoop to moral per-
jury in order to injure me by telling
ONLY a part OF the facts for the pur-
pose Of deceiving the voters and mis-
leading the public. hence this article.
AS to the first charge, namely, vot-
ing for Jennings:
In the contest in the Ocala pre-
cinct in 1900 to send delegates to the
county convention to select delegates
to the State Convention, which con-
vened in Jacksonville Of the same year,
there was an issue made I'm this pre-
cinct as to whether or not Jennings or
anti-Jennings delegates be selected to
the county convention, and the advo-
Gates Of Jennings were in the major
ity. At the county convention 1 was
selected as a delegate to go to the
State Convention, and as a large ma
jority of the people in the Ocala pre-
cinct who had expressed themselves
had done so in favor of Jennings,
therefore, when I went to the State
Convention, like a very large major
ity Of the Marion county delegation
I carried out the trust confided in me
and as a delegate cast my vote for
Jennings.
Second AS to voting for an In
crease Of the salary Of state attorney:
1t will be remembered, and is clear
ly shown by the report of the comp
troller, that large sums of money were
paid to attorneys for representing the
state in certain matters on account of
the enormous amount of business
which took up the time and attention
of the attorney general and necessarily
prevented him from being able to prop
erly look after all matters pertaining to
the interest Of the state, consequently,
to avoid further expenditures Of the
peoples money by paying the same to
private counsel to represent the state.
law was passed requiring the state
attorneys to assist the attorney gen.
eral in the preparation and presenta-
tion of all appeals to the supreme
court from the circuit court Of their
{ IN II
or criminal. in which the state is
party" and in many other respects
greatly increasing the duties and la
bors of state attorneys, and that on
account Of the great increase of the
duties and labors, in and by the same
bill the salary of the office was in
creased. However, in the Monkey
cat-paw" article Cthe one signed by
DeHOn) no reason is given WHY the
salary was increased, but mentions
only a part. for the purpose of mis-
leading and deceiving the people. "Oh.
what tangled Web we weave when
first we practice TO deceive"
Third. As to my constitutional dis
qualification:
The part Of the State Constitution
which has given Mr.. DeHon (and his
six colleagues) a severe case of night
mare. is Article number 8, Of Section 5,
which reads as follows: mo Senator
or member of the House Of Represent
atives shall. during the time for which
he was elected, be appointed or elect
ed to any civil office under the Consti-
tuition OF this state. that has been Gre
ated, or the emOluments whereof shall
have been increased during such time"
II viii be clearly seen. that the office
Of state attorney. under Article 3, Sec
ton Is. Of the State Constitution. is
not elective: THE governor by and
with the consent Of the Senate. shall
appoint a state attorney in each ju-
dicial circuit whose duties shall be
prescribed by law and who shall hold
Office for four years"
The primary election has nothing at
all to do with the appointment by the
governor of state attorney. except as
a RECOMAIENDATTON by the people
TO the governor in compliance with
Section "a of the state democratic
platform, which reads as follows: 1--WE
believe that true democratic princi-
pies require that the people be con-
suited in all matters where practicable
and that they as directly as possible
be permitted TO make known their