The weekly true Democrat. (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1905-1912, 1908-02-21
THR FLnnInA pIACRINE.

caption, "Be Specific" the half-baked
editor Of the Pensacola News calls on
the True Democrat to Estate who be-
longs to the machine" Not that this
editor ne eds the information. Being
himself, with his controlled" newspa-
per, a part OF the machine, heis, per-
haps, better calculated to give public
information about it than th"se on the
outside. His demand Cox psmegls simp-
" a FaVana = Bod nded
to n' hemies Of machine p0.llica
iu b. Such is the ordinary tactics
~ Tie average machine newspapers.
In the case Of the True Democrat the
bluff doesn't work. On the contrary,
Il will give US rare pleasure TO state the
names of the big Ikes" of the Florida
political mot Democratic) machine,
and to remind the public of a few facts
connected with it's early history and
development.
The machine had its origin in Duval
county local politics, years ago when
Bars and Stockton and a few kindred
spirits inauPurated a strenuous cam.
paign having for its sole purpose the
capture Of the local county Offices. The
people Of the State, outside Of Duval
county, at first took only a sort Of
amused interest in the local 3 fair, and
few dreamed perhaps its originators
did not then dream) that a time would
come when the pernicious methods Of
the "Three Friends" machine would
permeate the entire State. But so it
was.
Encouraged by the success which the
apathy and had management Of the Du-
val Democracy made possible. the half
victorious Dnval leaders conceived the
project Of attempting to dominate the
political situation throughout the State,
by sending cOntesting delegations from
Duval to State conventions. and by en-
eouraging revolt against the Democrat
ic leaders in other counties.
Partial success in this nefarious
scheme, made possible, as in the case
Of Duval county, by the apathy and
bad management Of the Democrats, en-
abled the schemers TO gain a fOOthold
in the State politics, the sole purpose
of their efforts being to secure abso-
lutte control Of the State Democratic
organization.
How well they have succeeded is no
secret. But their most pronounced
victory developed when they discovered
and made Upe Of the peculiar character
isties Of william Sherman Jennings.
Cheating Hon. Fred. T. Myers out of
the nomination for the GOvernorship by
the ube Of their favOrite weapons, they
put Jennings IN a position where he,
with the advice and assistance Of his
maDipulatOrs. has been enabled to COM
NIT more damage and injury to the
Democracy Of Florida, and to the ma
terial interests Of the State, than can
be undore in smother generation
The adolescent editor Of the Pensa-
cola News pretPnds to wonder Why the
machine did not elect jennings to the
u. s. Senate. when it succeeded in
plecting Broward in the same primary,
The snswer il easy. Neither Jennings
nor BrOward was elected. But by ''let'
ting go " at the most critical period OF
the campaign. the opposition failed tC
contest ard disclose the machine meth.
ods governing the BrowaTd campaign.
But sll these things are almost ioC
we'll Known TO need repeating. The
sequel 10 them is that the machine has
won the control Of the Democratic or
J ganiEatio Il dominates the State
committee. It's leaders dominate the
party as q monarch dominates his sub
J jects. Passion. carelessness, Ignorance
! Of the facts ard OF the characteristics
Of those who manipulate the machine
Indifference 10 the inevitable conse
querees Of such Tolicy--sll these, and
more constitute the fault Of the Demo
cratic people Of Florida. who have thus
permitted q little local clique Of Duvs
, politicians 70 change the political com
; plexiOn Of the entire State.
Bat we must hPsten on TO give Oui
Pensacola COntenpOrf y tire NAMES
, Here they ere: Stockton, Bars, Jen
; nipRp. Fletcher. Groom. BTOward, Burr