The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1907-02-10
(6y WireIess.)
POlitopolis, Fla, Feb. 9.

| To The Pensacola Journal:
The simultaneous announcements of
Mallory and Lamar, the former that
he woul be a candidate, and the lat
ter that he would not be d candidate,
for senator, caused many states to be
changed, and calculations to fall
short on the senatorial race.
Now that it is certain Mallory will
be in the race, the politicians are be-
ginning to figure on the man who
will prove his strongest competitor.
Mallory has always been opposed 10
that faction in state politics alleged
TO be favorable to the corporations,
and it is natural to suppose that this
crowd will try to center ON some man
to oppose him.
Senator Mallory was elected to the
senate in 1897. The legislative Ses-
sion of that year was, perhaps, the
stormiest ever held in Tallahassee.
The corporation, and anti-corporation
crowds were there in full force, and
the battle waged strong and furious
from the first When the first bal
lot was taken for United States
Senator, Wilkinson Call lead, with w.
D. Chipley, second and George P.
Raney, third. They held these relative
positions for many ballots, but finally
Chipley began to gain on Call. This
steady increase in the vote of the
West Florida candidate increased
from day to day until the Call advo-
Gates became alarmed. When Raney
dropped out they tried to prevent the
election of Chipley by withdrawing
the name of Call, and substituting
that of John Stockton of Jacksonville,
but Stockton could not stop the vote
of Chipley. The anti-corporation
crowd saw that something had to be
done, and done quick, or Chipley would
be elected in few more ballots.
Famous Mallory Caucus.
On the night before Mallory's selec-
ton, caucus of all members of the
legislature opposed to Chipley" was
held in the senate chamber. 1t was
the sense of this caucus that some
man should be nominated who could
break into the vote of Chipley, and
to do this it was decided to select a
West Florida man. 1t so happened
that Mr.. Mallory was in Tallahassee
that day, had stopped off on his way
from Jacksonville to Pensacola, and
his name was suggested. After many
ballots, and much arguing, and nearer
sunrise than sunset, the caucus NOM
mated Mallory, and every man pledged
himself to go into the joint session the
next day and vote for the former con-
gresham from Pensacola.
1t was close call the senator had
in the joint session the next day, but
as Andrew Jackson once said, "a miss
is as good as a mile" and he won out
In 1902, when Mallory came up for
in without opposition. In the first |
place it was a hard matter for the |
crowd opposed to him to center on any |
one man, and then the friends of |
Taliaferro did not much care to fight |
him because they wanted to take adj !
vantage of the cry second term for
their favorite when he should come up |
TWO years later
Senator Mallory has been in bad |
health for many years and quite a
of his friends were of the
opinion last year that he would not be
a candidate for reelection These J
men began to look over the field with :,
a view of centering on some one to
take the senator's place. All eyes
were at once turned on the popular
from the third district,
and there is no question but that had
Mallory declined to enter the fight
William B. Lamar would have been d
candidate. Now that Lamar has de-
clined to RUN against Mallory, it seems
certain that no other candidate will
enter against him from the crowd
with which Mallory is credited with
being affiliated.
Congressman Sparknan.
For some time there has been con-
siderable talk of Congressman Spark
nan entering this fight; in fact, the
Tampa man has said that he would I
not be a candidate for reelection to !
lis present position, and this of itself !
would lead one to believe that he in '
ended running for senator. But ,
hings have happened since he made
hat statement One of the most i'm
,ortant of which was the election of :
PierSon Hobson of Alabama ;
o a seat in congress You are going :
o wonder why this Alabama election
lad anything to do with Sparkman's
,lans Well, it had this effect Hob :
on's election caused Bankheads
from congress, and Bank
reads retirement from congress s
.aused Sparkman' elevation on the
ommittee of the house on rivers and \
larbors TO that of the ranking mem a
,er from the democratic side of the I
hamber- T
Florida is more interested in these s