The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1908-03-13
LAMAR IN OCALA

Z
urday in the forenoon.
The congressman, accompanied by
Mrs. Lamar and his brother, Mr.. JEFF
Lamar, arrived the day before and
| registered at the Ocala House.
Mrs. Lamar is a most gracious and
tactful woman, and, possessing youth,
beauty and viyacity. is truly a right
bower" in her husbands canvass.
She was introduced to many of our
citizens, both from town and country,
an easily captured the heart of ev-
eTyOne she met, and when a mans
heart is reached his vote is won.
Mrs. Lamar said that her husband
had been repeatedly and splendidly
hoIored by the people of Florida
while he was a bachelor, and if he
were defeated now it would be tanta-
mount to saying that marriage is a
failure" and she did not believe that
the people would render such a YER
dict-she believed that they were en-
tirely too gallant to permit even the
suggestion of such a possibility.
The congressman was introduced to
his audience by Mr. John NJ. Graham,
chairman of the Marion county demo
cratic executive committee, who dis
charged the pleasing task most admir-
ably.
Mr.. Lamar spoke for about an hour
and a half. and left a most excellent
and favorable impression on his hear
.ers.
He is a man of most splendid pres
.ence, is a fluent and impressive speak
CT, and used the hour and a half at
his disposal to magnificent advantage.
After the conclusion of his address
many went forward and congratulate
ed him upon his effort, and one gen
tlemaa won't 50 far as to say that his
remarks along the lines of his propos-
ed legislation of railroad regulation
were the best that he had ever
heard.
The criticism of the speech was
most friendly. and it attracted the
closest attention possible and was
weak at no point.
Mr. Lamar first told of his record
as attorney general. He served four
teen years in that office. He institut-
ed the suit against the old F. c. & P.
railroad for back taxes. One of the
judges of the state courts rendered
three adverse decisions against the
state. 1t was carried to the state SUI
preme court and the states conten-
ton was sustained. The congressman |
showed that the state had no money |
and he had to give his personal note |
TO pay the costs Of the suit in order
to get it before the supreme court, and
lad he not done so the state would |
have lost the case by default His
note. endorsed by his mother, for four
hundred dollars, is a part of the re- !
cord of the case.
Mr. Lamar showed that after win
ming the case before the state SUI
preme court. Judge Swayne "butted
III" without warrant. granted an in
junction against the state from col
lecting the amount. and then the case
had to be fought out before the SUI
preme court of the United States. At /
ter twelve years of litigation the
case was finally won before that au-
gust tribunal and the state got its
money.
He next told of the impeachment
proceedings against Judge Swayne.
He told how corrupt this judge had
been: how he had terrorized the good
people of Florida, and by packing the
juries had caused great injustice tol
be done He told in detail how he
had prosecuted with as bold a front
as Judge Jeffries of ignoble fame,
certain individuals, and cited instanC-
es of his tyranny. He detailed how
even with a republican majority he
had succeeded in pushing his impeach-
ment proceedings through the house
and came very near cOnvicting HIM
of high crimes and misdemeanOrs be
fore the senate. That his trial before
the senate showed his guilt as COM
pletely as if he had been formally con-
victed and that he never rallied from
the effects of the Impeachment, and
if the proceedings had not been under
taken the people of Florida perhaps
would still be suffering from his tyr
annies
Mr.. Lamar next took up his record
in the house of representatives. and
especially as to railway rate legisla-
ton. He spoke along this line for at
least three-quarters Of an hour and
his remarks were most conclusive. He
told of his break with John Sharpe
Williams because his substitute bill.