The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1909-09-24
UNFAIR TACTICS DEpLoRED

oiI-pushers. especially among each
loiher.
This is nos the first time the Nestor
Of the press has written forcibly and
lovingly along that line. 1t is to be
hoped that those who have been gull
" will heed the fatherly admonition
sad improve their ways. We be
brethren. with many sufferings at the
hands OF subscribers. advertisers and
ireaderS. that are common. II does
look like We should at least be fair
with each other.
The writer was brought up on the
ocala Banner. Although we were too
lCld TO learn our letters from the old
psper. yct we remember editorials
from Frank Harris. and squibs and
Nr'te-ups from Bittinger, who for
lyears kept his money in the same
shop What they write attracts our
notice. even now. when we see from
tie inside Z. this business of making
? paper. I. is our pleasure 10 read
md see thaC the old Banner still floats
aud has lost none of its brightness. 1t
has changed position, like Frank
i Clark, more than one time, but that is
al Americans privilege, and we recall
he oft-quoted saying of Ben Hall the
great: None but fools and fossils
never change"-in politics.
/ We fully endorse all that the Ban
ner has written about fairness among
editors. We go little further. 1t is
a great temptation to some papers to
be unfair with public men or candi-
dates not to their liking. To our mind
this is one OF the greatest criticisms
that can justly be brought against the
press. Some editors just cannot be
fair in their treatment of a public
man, not OF their faction or crowd.
Sometimes the mere fact that he is
IN" or has been "in," is apparent
warrant for public attack
However, we feel that the Florida
newspapers are improving in this re-
sgect. During the Jennings admins
tration, there was much criticism of
bis long absence at times from the
state capitol Certain scribblers, who
wanted something for filters. were de-
lighted to call attention to the fact
that the governor, with family and
'Father-in-laW Mann" was on a trip
cut of the state. The same papers
Kept up this adverse criticism of
absences from Tallahassee. But we
90 not recall a single adverse remark
from a reputable editor about Govern
or Gilchrist travelling to New York
and later to the far west, from which
he is to return very soon. All seem
to think our governor ought to get
eway from the official grind some
times. We are getting better, slowly,
bit surely, Brother Harris.
But there is still room for improve
ment. Certain papers, to our mind,
have been unfair to our congressman
and senators for their votes and words
during the extra tariff session, recent
iy ended. Efforts to get some reven-
re to meet a great, growing republi-
cen deficit, have almost put "our men"
out of the democratic party, in the
eyes of certain editors AS we have
before stated we have read the Rec
cd. We may want to defeat the last
one of them. but we should treat "our
men" fairly.
Even Governor Broward was quoted
some time ago by the Miami Metropo-
Is, as saying in substance that
FLORIDA hat no representation at
Washington-that they all voted as
they were told to do by the bosses"
The best friends of n. B., who know,
| regret his using such extravagant
language as he is reported as having
used. And now, he is getting a touch |
of some unfair, insinuating remarks. |
One paper reported that he had re-
Gently cleaned up $4,000 in some
real estate deal in Everglades lands |
The item was copied with cutting |
words, intinating that the erstwhile |
strenuous Napoleon had made the |
money out of politics" Finally, the |
ever-fair Tallahassee True Democrat
feels called upon to assure the state |
lhat this $4,000 had been made, out
OF a business transaction since Mr..
broward ceased to be governor. Thus
our former executive is meeting "un-
fair" tactics to Offset his bold, bad |
break about 'our men" at Washing
ton.