The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1908-04-18

| this Juncture he suggested that 1 ask
the sheriff if he thought two COM
panles or troops would be sufficient.
l made this inquiry, and the answer
| came back that the sheriff said he
| did not know, but would advise me
| later The adjutant general then sig
gested that l instruct the sheriff to
| confer with the mayor and report by
| six O'Clock that evening as to whether
or not more troops would be needed
l gave this instruction and the reply
came back that he said ne would do
| so.
| heard nothing further from either
| the sheriff or the mayor. but l am
| advised that the mayor later called
| Tor more troops. / feel reasonably
| sure that the troops would not have
| been sent upon the authority or re-
| quest OF the sheriff's telephone mes
| sage alone because that message con-
| tanned no direct request for them.
They were sent ur~- - request of
| the mayor, who has full and independ-
ent legal authority 10 call for them;
! but L thought il a reasonable infer
| ence. after our conversation over the
telephone, that he and the mayor
were acting in concert.
| If the sheriff's message was garbled
| and distorted in its various repeti-
| tons before it reached me, l am sorry
| Tor II. / remarked - tho time that
| ! could not So ---- -----+ond uhv he
| should choose a defective telephone
| system, traversing three states and
| covering distance of i've hundred
| miles, rather than avail himself of
the telegraph, several wires of which
are strung direct from Pensacola to
Tallahassee was all the more
puzzled when / remembered that d
tWenty-word message could have been
sent by telegram for forty-five cents
while an unsatisfactory three min
uteS conversation over the telephone
| costs one dollar and fifty cents. Then,
too, the telegram leaves behind it
permanent and indisputable record,
while the telephone leaves all Subse-
quent disputes to the unsupported
word OF two individuals, whose mem.
DRY, because they are human, is more
or less unreliable
have always felt very kindly
toward Sheriff Van Pelt. and fully
realize that he is now in an unpIeas-
ant predicament, caused by a division
OF sentiment among the people of his
city at time so little short of the
day set for the primary election at
which he will be a candidate for re
creditably. When The Journal rep
resentative asked me for this infor-
nation, | surmised that the sheriff's
position in the mott had become
somewhat of question, and being
loath to say anything which might
place him in an unpleasant situation,
or which might involve ME in a con-
trOversy, i fatty refused to make a
statement After a consultation with
friends. however, it was decided that
The Journal and the general public
were entitled to full information. and
gave out Il short statement
l have absolutely no personal inter
est in the matter, either one way or
the other. The law demands that the
troops shall be sent when asked for
by any of the civil authorities. and
the, mayors telegram was on file in
the military department before the
sheriff was heard from When this
telegram was received it Tp~~~-,,a the
sworn duty of the adjUtant general to
respond with the troops. AS soon as
possible he communicated with the
governor, and all subsequent proceed
1ngs were with his approval.
DANIEL A SIMMONS