The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1907-04-14
The Burden of Proof.
Is on The TimeS-UniOn.

maligned parsonage at the hands of
the politicians and the press of the
state
The Journal is the only paper, we be
lieve, that really attempted to answer
1.-THE Times-Union's question, and in do
points which, in its opinion, might be
regarded as material to the question
at issue Those two points were:
/ l. That there is no division of SEN
timent as the Times-Union assumed,
regarding MI Flagler's great work of
/ Industrial development. The people
with one accord commend him for it
and are ready to cooperate with him
I in it.
>. That the people, while admitting,
land commencing his great industrial
enterprise, object to the attempt on the
I part of his railroad and his political
agents to dominate the ,'olitics of the
/ territory in which he operates.-'
I The Times-Union called for an an
swer and got it, but is still not satisfied.
J 1t assumed when it propOunded the
question that the people of Florida had
misjudged, maligned, and slandered
Mr. Flagler, but when The Journal
tries to point out what the people of
Florida approve in Mr.. Flagler and
what they condemn, the Times-Union
is surprised that anyone had ever Sc
riously questioned his participation in
( politics or the political methods he em-
pIoys in this state and it says:
Except from the mouths of men hop
ing to make a political point or to
score an advantage at a time when
heated prejudices offer some security
! against investigation and consequent
denial, We had not been aware that
such accusations passed current, but
W? ara glad to see them champOined
so ably and respectfully as they will be
on the endorsement of The Pensacola
Journal. Therefore, since the Times
| CniCn has never seen the slightest evil
| deEce that these charges are true. and
i has not the slightest reason TO believe
| that they are true, Will The Journal
give the proofs upon which it makes
the charges that, if guilty condemna
I ton may be made general. or, if innO-
cent man who has worked so long for
Florida and done so much for her
people may be finally indicated, and
the injurious suspicious be set at rest
forever in the eyes of Ill fairmindCj
fellow-citizens of the accused? To thi;
end. will The Journal give instances
and cite proofs?
| Now this is rich, if anything ever
was. On the ground that Mr.. Flagler
lad been slandered, our Jacksonville
contemporary asked the state press to
come to the rescue and when The
Journal responded with what We be-
lieve was a fair, impartial. and I'M
prejudiced discussion Of the subject.
then the TimeS-Union says that it had
not been aware that such accusations
passed current
If the TimeS-Uuion was not aware
of these things; if it had mot the
slightest reason to believe that they
are true" what under high heaven was
the occasion or purpose of its ques
ton?
Was il simply another case of the
guilty fleeing when no man pursueth?
The Journal is neither a court.
jury. nor prosecuting attorney and II
must therefore decline to give in
stances, cite proofs, or try Mr.. Flagler
as our contemporary requests. zBut
were We sitting as such court We
should certainly rule that if the Flag
Ter interests desire a vindication at
the hands of the people of Florida Of
the charge that they have for years
been unduly and improperly interested
in the politics of the state. the burden
of proof is on then-not on the people.
There are some things in life which
long practice and accustomed usage
place ii the category of self-evident
propositions. and we think Flagler'S
relation TO Florida politics is one of
them.
Despite the Times Unions silly as
sertion that it was not aware that
such accusations passed current and
that it has "neVer seen the slightest
evidence" that they are true, The |
Journal is frank to say that it never !
before heard a denial of the assertion |
that M FlagIer's railroad was in the
politics at least of East Florida. and |
more or less of the entire state.
If the Times-Union, owned by Mr. |
Flagler, is willing TO say, coming from |
him direct, that ne and his railroad |
and his various interests in the stale |
are going to quit their political activ- /
ity. The Journal will be glad to publish !
that fact and We have no doubt that /
the people of the East Coast particu- /
larly VIII be OverjOyed TO know that /
coming elections i'll that section can be |
conducted on their merits and without /
any more interference from railroad |
influence. Does the Times-UniOn say |
il?