The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1906-04-13
TO THE DEMOCRATIC VOTERS or
FLORIDA.

FLOhiO In
Under the present system of NOM
mating your public servants for office,
each Of you have a right to say who
shall be your nominees.
1t being impossible for the individ-
uaI voter to know, personally. each
candidate who offers himself for a
state office, the undersigned introduces
himself to you through the medium of
the press. Judges of the courts of
Florida have never made it a practice
to solicit votes by personal appeal.
Members of the railroad commission
are judges. They decide certain mat
tiers between the great corporations
and the people. 1t would be unfair
therefore, while others are attending
to the duties they are paid to per-
form, for another individual seeking
the position to take advantage of this.
/ live at Lake City, Florida; l am
candidate for railroad commissioner:
1 am Virginian by birth; entered the
Confederate navy when II years OF
age, and surrendered with the naval
forces under Gen. Joseph Z. Johns
tom, at Greensboro. y. c., in 1865; /
have resided in Florida for over %
years; have been in the newspaper
business all that time; have diligent-
ly and faithfully worked for the up
building and development of the state
during all these years, and my every
end, in whatever position l may hold;
am thoroughly acquainted with the
wants and needs of every section of
Florida, as my mountaineering and
travel has led me at times into every
county within it's borders; have twice
been chosen to represent you in demo-
connected with the state senate in
Florida since 1887, most Of the time
as secretary. and can confidently re-
fer, as to my faithful attention to the |
duties imposed upon me, to any mem
Der of the legislature during that time, |
as we'll as to the records in the ar
chives of the state, it being a fact that !
these records have never been at |
tackled in the courts.
Railroad commissions of nearly all /
the states of the Union have, where |
the powers given are judiciously ex-
ercised, proven of great benefit to the |
general public, and there is no reason |
the rule. Experience has pointed out |
defects in our railroad commission |
law that are being remedied by the |
legislature at each session. and by 1
this process, within a few years. we
will doubtless have a law that will be !
all that it should be in the interest of /
the people.
am confident Of my ability to fill I
the office acceptably and efficiently, !
and pledge myself, if nominated and !
afterwards elected to administer the /
duties of the Office fairly and impair
tally
The state of Florida has wonderful I
possibilities before it, and in my hum T
BILE opinion no agency can be such a J.
potent factor in it's development as the /
railroad commission. For this reason /
the voter should weigh carefully the |
claims of every one who offers for the |
place. This announcement is direct !
personal appeal to you individually |
Two members of the board are to be
selected. l want to be one of them. 1
want your vote and support Should
you choose me. l promise that you
shall never have cause to regret it.
1 believe my large acquaintanceship
in Marion county, to whom 1 refer
you, will vouch for my fitness for the
office.
AS any loyal democrat would do, 1
pledge myself to abide by the result Of
the primary, and viii support the NOM
inee thereof at the regular election.
Very respectfully,
T. ]. APPLEYARD.
Lake City, Fla, April 8, 1906.