The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1908-03-20
POOR LITTLE BLIND LAMBS


Der Of the other organs of the admin
istI alton denies the existence Of a po-
ntical machine in Florida, and with
superb -.lr and triumphant manner,
repeatedly asks the Ocala Banner to
point out this machine.
Show u.s." is the triumphant ex-
clamatiOn
Well. the Ocala Banner always tries
to be accommodating and stands ever
ready TO give a reason for the justif1-
cation of its faith and in this case it
delivered the goods.
True, il stated that a political ma
chine was unlike the electric motor
of a printing press and that its parts
could not be separated, examined and
exposed to the naked eye. On the con-
trary, IL said it is nOiseless and in
visible, but effective just the same.
The Ocala Banner went so far as
to give an example of the workings
of this machine. 1t could have given
many.
1t cited the appointment Of Bryan
and Bryan counsel in some matter
connected with the l. I. fund: the ap-
pointment of a Bryan in some matter
connected with the drainage of the
everglades; the appointment of a Bry-
an solicitor of the criminal court of
record Of Jacksonville; the appoint
ment Of a Bryan on the board of con-
troll and the appointment of a Bryan
United States senator over the head
of John n c. Stockton, who had long
been a friend of the governor and
stood as the recognized head of the
faction
How does our resOurcefuI contem-
pOrary meet the Ocala Banners plain
exposition of the workings of this
machine?
Dead easy.
Why, it says that the government
itself is nothing but a machine. Hence
in governmental affairs machines are
necessary.
1t again triumphantly proclaims:
show US that these men are bad
mem"
What a fall. my cOuntrymen,"
Newspapers in Kentucky. like the
Ocala Banner in Florida. that have no
excuse for their existence except to
contribute to the common good,
warned the democracy of that state
of the existence of an admins
tratiOn machine that meant the dis
ruption of the democratic party.
but there were organs like the Pensa-
cola Journal to as stOutly deny the
patent fact, and if brought face to face
by production of the goods, they ex-
cused and palliated it, the same as the
Pensacola Journal and the other ad-
ministratiOn organs in this state per-
sist in doing.
Rock-rimmed and iron-bound in it's
democracy as Kentucky was, what
does the workings of its political ma
chine reveal to US?
The spectacle of a republican gov
ernOr and a republican United States
senator, that's all-but surely that's
enough.
Just a little while ago Kentucky
was so largely and overwhelmingly
democratic that the late Robert G.. In
gersoll. the most celebrated agnostic
since the days of Voltaire, said that
he would be ready to believe in the
existence of a literal hell. hot with
fire and birthstone, when Kentucky
should go republican
/ Brilliant as IngersOll was. he had
no conception of the evil and pOten-
tial workings of a political machine
When Colonel Ingerson made what
be thought was an impossible propo-
sition Kentucky was piling up a larger
democratic majority than Georgia
and if the machine in Florida is not
broken Florida is liable to follow the
example OF Kentucky.
What are some of the subtle and
insinuating operations of this ma
chine in Florida, besides those already
mentioned?
The evidence is prolific and within
easy memory of us all.
The ignoring in some instances and
the setting aside in others Of the re-
Communications of the county execu-
/ tive committees and the nominations
/ of county primary elections, to which
policy the governor stood solemnly
committed
He is nominal}y at least at the
head of his party. Now suppose his
example is followed and the demo
Gratis of Florida pay no heed to our
primary nominations in the November
elections and al the next session Of
/ the legislature, won't the story of
i anr17n1-z- 1f1-aTv =, D., r,71,rr-,9 e.,