The weekly true Democrat. (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1905-1912, 1907-01-11
eEnTLE RRnASMnEMT.


The Times observes that il IL criti-
ciSed by one or two Of It's cOntempOra-
ries on account Of it's attitude and ex-
pressiOns regarding the appointment by
Governor Broward Of a successor to
the tate Tax Collector Charles z.
Worth. 1t may be as well to review
the circumstance somewhat briefly.
In the beginning it was charged in a
Tampa paper that the appointment in
question was not given to the appointee
for reasons Of ftness-though that
particular question is not raised-but
was conferred on him because he prom
ised to give a percentage Of his salary
to pay the debts Of newspaper belong
ing to the men who had secured the job
for him. The Times called for denial
Of the truth of the statement, and the
denial was not forthcoming
The Times believed then, and it be-
leves yet, that the place should have
been filled by primary election in the
regular customary party way. Failing
that, it believes the selection should
have been made by the county execu-
tive committee, after the manner SUI
perseded by the primary during the
wave of political reform some years
ago. The Times does not now nor has
it ever believed that appointments TO
Office are the perquisites of governor,
10 be distributed among his friends, to
the exclusion Of all other democrats.
Perhaps the best and clearest state
ment of the BrOward side of the case is
made by the st. Petersburg Independ-
ent, which says the appointment re-
solved itself into q personal matter.
II proceeds TO show that the News sup
ported Broward's drainage scheme, and
was therefore entitled TO a return, and
cOOlly quotes the adage in support Of
it's position that "tO the victor belong
the spoIs " Possibly 80, but it still
leaves open the question of what may
be properly considered the spOils. IT
the Governor of a State may sell an
appointment TO fat office for money
TO be paid as a reward TO his fractional
friends, why not 50 sell all the Offices
II the Governor of State may disre-
gard party law at his pleasure be-
cause he knows that the observance of
the law would not fatten the wallets of
his personal and political friends, why
hold any primaries at all?
The fact seems 10 be that Governor
Broward has ignored party rule in the
interest Of his friends and in deroga-
ton Of the rights of Democrats to Sc
lect their own officeholders and candi-
dates for office To this violation of
political ethics IL added the charge that
it included a very peculiar handling of
the salary of the Office in question.
What the Times wanted was full ex-
PLANTATION and denial Of the truth of that
charge 1t wanted the Democratic
voters Of Hillsborough county to have
the exercise Of the right to designate
the man they wanted to fill the Office Of
tax collector II wanted the admins
tration Of Florida and Hllsborongh
county politics to be above the suspic-
ion of graft or Partially or manipula-
tion to the special financial advantage
> of any man or set of men 1t still
wants these things. it will continue to
want them, and when the time comes
to fight for them it willgo into the fray
with a light-hearteu spirit and deter
mination that if these things are not
2 won the fault cannot be laid at it's
2 door Tampa Times