The St. Lucie County tribune. (Fort Pierce, St. Lucie County, Fla.) 1905-1920, 1910-06-03
BROWARD THE
PEOPLES MAN.
Most Singular and Striking Figure
Ever Produced by Florida
TRUE REPRESENTATIVE
No Man Like Him Has Appeared Within
The Memory Of Present Generation
and None viii fOllow--BrOward

INV 'NVVS V"s
The recent primary in Florida pro-
duced, in some circles at least, some
very unexpected and surprising results.
One of these results was the vote for
the United States senator.
1t was generally expected that Sena-
tor Taliaferro would lead the ticket and
if he had been nominated in the first
primary no one would have been greatly
surprised.
The fact of the senior senator's long
service to Florida; the fact that his
forces in the State were thoroughly
organized and that his financial re-
sources were sufficient to make possible
the most complete and exhaustive cam
paign; the fact that his chief opponent,
former Governor Broward, had two
years previously suffered defeat and
that he entered the present campaign
so late and, apparently with so little
enthusiasm, that even his friends re-
garded his chances as almost hopeless;
the fact chat the former governor Is a
man of very limited financial resources
and that there were no large interests
which could be depended upon to come
to his support all Of these things COM
bined to make the result of the first
primary both unexpected and surprising.
| No one imagined that Governor Brow
ard would receive as large vote in
the first primary as Senator Taliaferro,
much less lead the ticket, az he seems
now to have done by the small plurality
of sixty-nine votes.
! Less than seven years ago, few peo-
pie outside of Duval county (where he
had served as sheriff. had ever heard
of BrOward in the politics of the State.
His name had appeared in the news
papers as the filibuster master OF the
Three Friends, who had made several
successful runs with arms and supplies
for the Cuban army. AS political
leader he was unknown.
! Six years ago this same unknown
man entered the campaign for governor
against an opponent who was regarded
as the most eloquent and popular citi-
! zen of Florida Congressman RObt. w.
Davis. He was late, then as now, IN
making his announcement. He was
! limited, then as now, IN financial re-
sources. He was then, as now, with
out any organization and then as now,
| lie had an organization to fight. His
issue in that campaign was the saving
of the State Everglades lands from the
railroads, and the drainage and re-
clamation of those lands for the benefit
of the State. No one thought he
would be elected, His drainage scheme
was ridiculed as visionary and imprac-
ticable. His map, his book, his method
of campaign were all laughed at "jess
laughed at''- by his political opponents.
But the votes were counted and Brow
ard was elected.
And what was the result? His adj
ministratiOn was good one. His
Everglades drainage scheme-ridiculed
at first as visionary and impracticable
was put into effect and is today every
where recognized as success. He
himself has grown in prominence, not
only in Florida, but Throughout the
nation. At the national Democratic
convention in Denver he attracted at
tention wherever he appeared. At the
waterways convention in st. Louis, he
was, next to the president himself, the
most talked of man in the gathering.
| He is today the only man of national
prominence in Florida. Go where you
will north, east, west--they ask you
about Everglades drainage and about
"that man Broward, whose name is
linked with this marvellous enterprise.
Take lit altogether, Napoleon b.
Broward is the most singular and strik-
ing sgure in Florida. No man like him
has appeared within the memory of the
present generation and none is likely to
follow.
| 1t is not for the Journal to advise it's
readers who, between these two dis
tinguished Floridians-Sen Italia.
ferro and Governor Broward-they
snail select to represent them for the
next six years in the United States
senate, They know as much about
each as The Journal could possibly tell
| them. Numerous reasons, both for
and against, the election of either
might be given. 1t is for the people
of Florida to say who, in their judg-
ment, will serve them best.
But the achievements to date of
Napoleon B. Broward cannot fail-and
have not failed--t0 attract the atten-
| ton and, in most cases, the admiration
of thoughtful people everywhere. Any
man who, single handed and alone,
withou, the. advantages of a college edu-
cation, without organization or money,
and known to only limited number of
the people Of his State -ahy man who,
with these disadvantages. can in six
short years make for himself the name
and the place, in Florida, and in the
nation, that this man has made Is re-
markable personality who cannot BE-
/ ignored. Pensacola JOrnal.