The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1908-03-22
a Suggestion to
General Gilchrist.

A good many years ago when Gro
yer Cleveland was serving his first
ierm as president. western news
paper in a leading article earnestly
and eloquently advised him TO marry,
not only as a good example to his un-
mated countrymen but as his duty as
The head of the nation. The article
also suggested that If Mr.. Cleveland
would enter the matrimonial circle
and thus prove himself no longer a
iaggard or a shirk from plain obi
cation of civilized man to the social
state, it would be an additional and
very strong reason why his party
zhouid nominate him for president for
Z second term and why his country
men should re-elect him.
The article was widely copied in
The eastern press and doubtless the
sturdy bachelor in the White House
raw it. At all events a few months
later he married the charming Miss
Frances Folsom, got his second cleo
ton, is now the father of a family,
and has been UNNECESSARILY happier
ever since than he was before.
We recall this felicitous episode
merely to point the moral which we
wish to impress upon General Albert
Gilchrist, of DeSoto county, candidate
for governor of Florida. General Gil
christ is a wealthy and genial bach
elor, and moreover he is a good look
ing man full of the old-time chivalry
In his relations to the fair sex. We
are reliably informed that when he
gets out among the ladies in the full
glory of the smile that won't come
on, his battonhole bouquet and other
Characteristic adornments, he is a
very fetching gentleman, "facile
princeps'' and there is none to dis
pute his sovereignty
This speaks well for the General
md puts him just where We want him
IN what we have to say to him. You
are seeking the suffrages of the peo-
pie of Florida, General Gilchrist, as
their chief executive but what right
have you to expect the husbands and
fathers of this state. the men who
have given hostages to fortune and
bond and security to society by taking
unto themselves wives and obeying
the Biblical injunction to multiply
and replenish, to vote for you. mere
bachelor who has sidestepped these
sacred obligations?
II you want to see how remiss you
are in this respect contemplate the
noble example of Governor Broward
and think what inspiration that chief
executive of our state has to hold
him up to his hard and oftentimes
fhanlless task, when he looks into the
bright eyes and hears the clear voices
81 his housefull of charming daugh-
ters and gets the honest, loving coun-
sells of his faithful wife.
Think you, General Gilchrist, that
the people of Florida viii take you
as their governor and give you their
prize plum in the face of such pre-
cedent as they have now in the exec
utive mansion at Tallahassee? Not If
they know themselves and if their
wives and daughters have a deciding
voice in the casting of the votes
and they generally have when they
want TO.
HE you promptly to- the flower
starred matrimonial fields, so rich in
beauty. charm, worth and fragrance,
and from all that wealth of loneliness
select you some blushing American
beauty rose and make her your own,
all your own for life. When you
have done this we will give your can
didacy for governor more serious con-
side1ation than we do now, for at
present we hold you as a defaUlter
in the social state and we are all
anxious for you to make good your
shortage
As a public man. you must not take
offense at this plain, blunt talk about
what would otherwise be a purely pri-
waite affair, and we again commend
to your consideration the authentic
story OF what happened to Grover
Cleveland because he took the ad-
vice of q western paper and married
him a wife" He got a second term
by doing so. and you may do even
Astter and get drst term BY follow