The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1908-06-12
FORMER GOV. FLEMING REPLIES
TO MINISTERIAL ALLIANCE

There have been occasi rs in other
sections OF the country where minis
tiers Of the gospel have combined ID
use the office of their sacred calling
and their churches to enter the arena
of politics, notably during the fanat-
ical crusade against slavery, which re.
suited in a division of some of the
churches, but, so far as | am aware.
we now have the first innovation OF
such methods in the fair state of
Florida, as is manifested in an "Ad-
dress to the God-Fearing People of
Florida" sent out by pastors of ce,-
tain churches of Jacksonville, in their
endeavOr to use the influences of their
churches and their Offices, dedicated
to the worship of God, to secure the
election of Mr.. John n. c. Stockton
as governor of Florida. Is this be-
cause his opponent is a man of such
corrupt and immoral life as to call
forth the condemnation of Christian
people? 1t would seem not, as they
say I'VE do not wish to say one word
against the character of their candi-
date" Mr.. Gilchrist.
Permit me in this connection 10
say that | have known General Gil
christ for approximately twenty years.
He was on my military staff as gov
ernOr. He was with me on various
social occasions when temptations to
excessive drinking were not lacking,
yet l never saw, knew or heard o.
General Gilchrist- ever having been
incorporate in any sense OF the word.
He has always conducted himself as
an honorable, hlgn-tOned gentleman
and has always been a welcome guest
{ in my household.
More than a year ago General Gil
christ, who had been repeatedly Ell
| trusted with public office by the people
| of his county who knew him best an
nounced his candidacy for governor.
| His record on the saloon question was
/ that under the constitutional prOvis-
ion of local option in his county. he
voted against the sale of liquor. The
/ liquor question was not injected into
the campaign until Mr.. Stockton af-
forwards came into the race and de
clared for state prohibition. Was that
! from honest conviction? or was it be-
hn Il h. 81 10
Those who have known Mr. Stockton
for many years longer than the cleri-
cal alliance are best able to reach "A
conclusion as to this. General Gil
christ declared his adherence to the
democratic doctrine of local option as
provided by the constitution, the
trainers of which included the best
and most highly hOnOred men in the
state. Samuel Pasco, president af-
forwards United States senator, Will
liam A. BlOunt, A. E. Maxwell, mem
Der of congress, Confederate senator
and chief justice of the supreme court.
E. NJ. Randall, chief justice of the SUI
preme court; w. H. Milton, son of
Gov. Milton, and father of the pres
ent senator; L. w. Bethel lieutenant
governor; r. F. Taylor, chief justice,
and W. A. Hooker, justice of the su-
preme court; John d. Broome, Jas. +.
Mcclellan and John Malone, circuit
judges; R. c.. Parkhill, John Westcott,
A. L. McCaskill, John c. Richard, VIM.
7. Weeks, and other able and honor
ed citizens of the state, most of them
gallant Confederate soldiers. If Gen
eral Gilchrist is to be condemned FOR
his adherence to the constitution.
condemn the men who framed it,
many of whom fill honored graves and
have left hOnOred names. Are we to
return in analogy to the appeal Of a
higher law" and the denunciation of
the constitution of the United States
as "a league with death, and a coyen-
ant with hell" because it recognized
the institution of slavery?
But" say the clerical alliance,
never before in the history of Flor
ida have the representatives of the
saloon interests so openly defied the
moral elements of society and so bold |
ly organized to seize control of the |
government of the state and so many |
of the counties" The limits of this |
article will not permit me to quote
at length their address," Suffice TO |
say they go on to ring the changes on
the support of General Gilchrist by !
the saloon interests. They appeal to |
the people to assist in protecting our
state from the clutches of the saloon
keepers.
They say THE governor of Florida
should not be an ungrateful man. X
"The candidate supported by the sa-
loon interests will owe his election to