The Punta Gorda herald. [volume] (Punta Gorda, Fla.) 1893-1958, 1908-04-02

W io'@ hhh hpN utth true W Nho ~
terests Of the people IN 1891.
Not a Cooperation Man or a Corpora.
ton Candidate.
| have never been corporation man.
| am not one now and never expect to
be one In the future unless by "corp0'
ration man. is meant one who Is abso
lutely fair IN deciding between the
people and the corporations and who
practices that strict lmpartlallty In his
dealings with them which n consclen
tous observance of his oath Of office
requires. One Of our greatest southern
statesmen has said, "Thc man who
would do the railroads wrong In order
to get the peoples offices would do the
people wrong whenever he wants some
thing from the railroads worse than he
wants public Office
Did Not Consult With Any Railroad
Man About Candidacy,
did not consult with any railroad
man or the representative Of any rail-
road with reference to becoming can
dldatc and whatever support, If any,
get from that or any other source
must come to me with the clear knowl
edge and positive assurance from me
that II | am elected governor will
not be influenced or controlled by dny
corporation or interest or by any man
or faction and that !, and alone, will
be governor of Florida, and viii not
be a puppct IN the hands OF any man,
faction or corporation, nor VIII be
the leader or head of a faction.
Stand squarely on NY Record as Rail-
road Commissioner
stand squarcly 10y my record on
the railroad commission, and no man
can show that | opposed anything In
the interest Of the people that was pos
slble TO be done under the law.
There are three members ON the
commission, ana one man cannot
shape and direct tie policy. Whatever
the commission did assisted them to
do and am entitled to whatever credit
the commissioners individually or col
Iectlvey may receive, For whatever
II failed to do am entitled to my
share Of blame II any attaches. as
sisted in drafting every new rule and
regulation of the commission and all
amendments thereto, and an examina-
ton of those adopted aud amended
while was ON the commission VIII
show that there Is not single QUE
that was not In the Interest Of the peo-
pie and IN further restraint Of the pow
ers Of the railroads,
Constitutional Rights and Duties OF
Governor.
40 man Is good enough or pure
enough to be vested with power out
side the law, which must always be
supreme. If elected governor l Will
obey the law in the mlnutest matters
as well as In the greatest and observe
it as humbly as shall expect 1t TO be
observed by the richest or the poorest
citizen. More than this, | will obey
the spirit as well as the letter of the
law. for q chief executive cannot set
the example Of being himself above the
law and expect to build up a law abid-
ing citizenship
The constitution Of Florida provides;
'The powers Of the government OF the
state Of Florida shall he divided into
three departments-le Legislative, execu'
tive and judlcial--and no person prop
erly belonging TO one Of the depart
nnents shall exercise any powers APP
pertaining to either Of the others, ex.
cept IN cases expressly provided for by
this constitution. Article 2.
The spirit Of this enactment prohib-
It's any interference by the legislative
executive or judicial departments OF
the government with any OF the rights
or prerogatlves of the other, and re-
gard this Inhibition as most Important
for the preservation of a true repub'
lIcan form of government.
win Not Attempt TO Dictate 70 or Con-
troll the Legislature.
1t will be my duty and pleasure to
recommend TO the Legislature certain
measures, but ] will not attempt to
dictate TO the Legislature what itshould
or should not do, nor win personally
solicit the vote OF any member OF the
legislature for or against any measure
pending before II. shall make my
recommendations and give my reasons
therefor to the legislature, as the con
stitution requires, but ] VIII not use
methods which would he condemned II
practiced by a private citizen.
The constitution further says, The
governor shall take care the laws he
faithfully executed."-Article 4, Sec
ton 4. pf .J M
His duties are with the execution
and not with the enactment of laws,
| shall take special charge of the faith
full execution Of all laws on the statute
hooks.
E.vors Law to Limit Candidates tx