The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1909-06-11
A STATE CONVENTION

So much uncertainty prevails as to
the correct answer to the question,
What is Democrat?" In Florida,
that the suggestion of state demo
cratic convention, for the purpose of
defining a platform of principles for
the conduct of the party and it's off,
clal representatives is by no means
bad one. At the recent session of
the legislature, democracy was but an
empty name and although the two
houses were nominally composed al
together of democrats, men elected as
democrats, the proceedings of the
session demonstrated that practically
every shade of party belief was repre-
sented among the legislators and that
the varieties of democrats were too
numerous to be successfully cata-
logued. AS a mtater of fact, much of
the so-called democracy manifested in
the introduction of bills and in the de-
bates which consumed so much of the
time of the session, was the rankest
populism, socialism and nothingism,
and disgraced the name of democracy
by its presence under the democratic
banner and its authorization by dem
ocratic votes.
The leading papers of the state are
taking kindly to the suggestion that
convention is needed to put the
democratic party of Florida back into
the proper path and to eliminate from
its ranks the people who have no
right there. but who. under The domi-
nance of that party in this state, find
no other opportunity of obtaining Of
fee or influence politically other than
by pretended allegiance to it's princi-
pies and policies. A state convention
would doubtless be enabled to cast
out these unworthy camp followers
and to place them in their proper cat
egory. 1t could adopt a plain and I'M
>mistakable declaration of principles
by the standard of which democratic
faithfulness and fealty could could be
measured and it could also lay down
the law to executive and legislative
officials who, placed in power by dem
ocratic votes, have frequently depart
ed from democratic precepts.
themselves quite recently on this sub
ject, and the Tribune reprints, with
it's hearty concurrence, what they
have to say.
The Pensacola Journal makes the
suggestion in the following words:
THE Journal believes that the dem.
ocrats of Florida should meet in con.
vention and enunciate party princi-
piles. They should also take under
consideration and amend the consti-
tuition of the state and make of it an
| instrument fit to meet the require
ments of a great commonwealth OF
the twentieth century. And such a
convention, by the sanity and honesty
of its enactments, should prove the
4 greatest Ol dli Incentives LOT VOTERS uOl
now included in the democratic ros.
trum to enroll themselves and work
enthusiastically for the party Of the
people"
And the sentiment is echoed by the
Tallahassee Morning News as fol
lows:
1.-The Journal is right Chairman
Price could not do the party in Flor
ida greater service than by calling the
state committee together and talking
over the matter. 1t IS none too early
to arrange for a convention early in
the fall. Candidates will be cropping
out here and there for the Legislature
feeling their way-and they should
know definitely what the party stands
for in the most important matters thai
affect the states welfare. The con
vention could itself make modifica
tions of the ticket in next years pri
mary as would eliminate a great many
of the Objectionable and expensive
features. BY all means, Mr.. Price, get
your committee together and talk over
the matter. Tribune.