The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1909-10-28
CANDIDATE FOR
u. S. -ENATE ISSUES
ADDRESS. - -

have been and am the attorney for the
Louisville and Nashville Railroad
Company for the state Of FLORIDA IL
Is fact that ! have been and am sucDf
attorney, but l have no regrets be-k
cause Of it nor apologies for it. My
connection with il has, however. been
entirely professional. and concerned
IN no wise with its policies. As itE
lawyer, I have served it faithfully and
honestly, and to the best Of my abil-
Ity, and III the same manner, and not
otherwise, a. l have served my Other
clients. Ii has been one OF my clients,
and nothing more, and has not inhu-
enCed the Independence of my
thoughts or actions The emOluments
received from it have been but q
small part of my income from my
general professional practice; and my
actions toward or for il have been as
unbiased by any consideration OF
its employment Of me as my &C
tiOns toward or for other clients
have been unbiased by their employ
ment of me. None of my other clients
have III any wise ever attempted to
influence my actions in respect to the
public, nor has the Louisville and
Nashville Railroad Company Neither
it nor any Of them would have been
allowed by me to demand or induce
from me an injustice to an opposing
ltigant or the public. II any con-
tirmation Of this statement is required
reference may be had TO the attorneys
and litigants to whom / have been op-
posed, and to any local attorney Of
that railroad company, to whom /
have given directions as to the con-
duct of its matters committed to their
care, or more broadly still, to the peo-
pie of Pensacola among whom I am
proud to have lived a lifetime. ]
think that the unprejudiCed win fail
to see in such relation with that rail.
road company any Inconsistency be.
tween my duties TO it and the per
Torrance of the highest duty as
citizen to the public, or any reason
why / should not be elected to serve
the people. Ny freedom from any
slavish adherence to that railroad
company is best illustrated by the
fact that for twenty-five years l have
been actively and publicly assisting
in the endeavOT to construct railroads
into Pensacola, which would have
been competitive with it. and in the
effort, have contributed thousands OF
dollars in cash, and tens of thousands
of dollars in personal and profession
al time and services.
Legislative Record.
| have been in public life only I'm
the Constitutional Convention of 1885
and in the Senate of Florida of 1903
and 1905. all since | have been attor-
ney for that railroad company, and
appeal confidently to the journals OF
those bodies as evidence that my
votes we're always for and in behalf
of the interests Of the public
If l am elected to the United States
Senate, however, the situation would
be changed. The Louisville and Nash
vile Railroad Company is a great in
terstate system, and congress is con.
stantly called upon to deal with such
systems. There would at least be
seeming inconsistency between the
duties of a legislator required to legis
late upon matters vital to a large cor
poTation and of an attorney of that
corporation, and ! should avoid that
inconsistency by Tesigning my attOr
neyship for it before entering upon
my duties as Senator, thus obeyina
the prohibition against an endeavOI
TO serve two masters, and the injunc-
ton to avoid the appearance of evil.
/ shall not, however, resign now, for
to do SO would be an obvious effort to
catch votes, and an admission that my
services to the Louisville and Nash
vile Railroad Company have been in
compatible with my possession OF
that good citizenship and character
which should be the basis of a claim
to election to public office.
| shall, upon any occasions which
may require it, discuss this question
fully with the voters, and I am con-
fident that / shall be able to demon
stTate that my connection with that
railroad company in the past does not
in any way initiate against the great
est honesty and efficiency Of service
g
been. and shall ever be, my most
earnest endoavoT to discharge faith
fully. honestly, and with what ability
/ have, every trust imposed upon me.
Very respectfully,
w. a. BLOUNT.