The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1908-05-30
THE BUCK POND PICNIC

thought 1t would be. There was no
set program but Mr. Cross Dean saw
that the candidates present should
rave an opportunity to speak to the
voters IL they desired, so he introduce
cd the same and the crowd gave them
very respectful and attentive hear
ing.
G. L. Bittinger was first called on
and made his statement on what he
believed and some Of the subjects that
would engage the attention of the
legislature Of 1909. Attorney Carlos
l.. Sistrunk Of Ocala, spoke for Mr.. D..
u. Fletcher. candidate for the United
states senate. He gave Gov. Broward
some severe raps and spoke Of the i'm
mense political machine he built up i'm
the state TO further his, candidacy for
the senate. He did not question the
governors personal honesty, but did
score him for not carrying out his
promises to the people made them
when he ran for governor, namely:
that not an acre of state land should
he given the railroads, but lately
transferred 100000 acres and paid the
Il. Il N. nearly a quarter of a million
OF dollars.
He denied vigorously that Mr.. F1et-
cher was railroad attorney, but was
running on his own hook and paying
his own expenses. He paid Mr. FLEET
cher glowing tribute as a man and
citizen and his ability to effectively
fill the important and honorable posi-
ton which he sought
aMr. John l.. Edwards and Mr.. John
F. Galloway made their statements
and the speaking was thought to be
ever when Mr.. L. s. Light, of Red
dick. candidate for the legislature. ap-
peared on the scene, breathless and
spent from his long trip of twenty five
miles across country and desired to be
heard. He had lost his way and that
was the cause of his being tardy
He made a long speech but it was
decidedly toned down in what Light
would do If he went to the legislature
In comparison to what he has been
asserting from the stump. He. howev-
CT, felt confident he knew better than
DIR. Porter how to run the state board
OF health and that $4,000 was all suf-
ficient to run that branch of the state
government instead of $4,000 appro-
knew that he could guard the health
4i the state and protect its most prec-
ious interest in averting yellow fever
epidemics and other diseases so dis
astrous to the health and material in
terests of the commonwealth he was
indeed shy of stating. He did how
ever ridicule the states efforts to
stamp out smallpox in his precinct by
sending a doctor there, who put up a
red flag on the house and permitted
everybody and everything to do as they
pleased in coming in contact with the
dreaded disease. He said the doctor
| spent several months around the pest
house and then disappeared.
He raised the cry Of the farmers
interests; that he was one Of them and
knew, how to look after legislation for
them. He said 1t was not fair that
OGala had two representatives and the
country districts none, That this had
never been in the history of the coun-
ty and In the name of fair play de-
.nanded that the country people see
that 1t was not done in this election.
Mr.. Light forgot to state whoever
went to the legislature was supposed
county irrespective Of what section he
came from or what interest he, per-
scnally, was engaged in.
Light has developed into a radical
temperance advocate. He said he stood
for temperance in every particular and
IL sent to the legislature he would be
found fighting, bleeding and if need be
cying in its ranks for any and all leg
isiation along these lines. This is a
new move on the part of Mr.. Light
who all through the first primary
barely touched on this question. He
evidently forgot what he said in the
Ocala meeting, that state prohibition
would lose to the state 100000 Of
revenue to maintain the state govern
ment and its institutions; what were
the people going to do about it?" Now
the pertinent question is what is Light
goin gto do about It,
A splendid dinner followed when
the youths and maidens to the strains
of sweet music tripped the light fan
tastic until several young men got up
d horse race on a course a short dis
lance removed from the dancing floor,
which was instantly deserted to see
the contest Of speed between Clale
Murpree's "sorreP and Joe Browns
glass eye" The steeds were nomi-
mated the Broward and Fletcher and
Bittinger and Light. Broward and
Bittinger, as was reported by the
Judges, lost. The races We're still on
and the dancing floor deserted when
we left for home.
Mr.. Louis Lang and his auto brought
to the picnic Messrs J. P Galloway,