The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1910-10-23

zach instance there shall be not only
40 evasions, but the frankest sin.
certify and honesty In any statement
which I may make to you Of my pur.
poses and position.
/ shall make q clean, fair campaign.
shall appeal to the intelligence. fair
and state pride of the
voters of Florida, and endeavor to
convince them that it is to their best
interests that their votes shall be
given to me. There shall be no pur-
chase direct or indirect, of votes. The
position of United States senator is
of honor, II 1T be the untrammeled
gift Of the people, but if obtained
corruption or trickery, 1t is
no honor, and would not desire it.
To my opponents, / shall always be
courteous and fair. Their public rec.
ords are matters of just criticism, but
their private characters are not to be
assailed, unless their private acts
have been such as to evidence unfit.
ness to hold the high Office of senator
of the United States. / shall volun-
teer no attack, but. if be -smitten ON
one cheek l shall not turn the other.
-
am in the race upon my own ini-
tiative I am not. the candidate OF
any person, corporation or interest,
nor has my candidacy been under
taken at the request, instigation or
urgency of any corporation or in
terest. am, and will always be, en-
tirely unfettered by any obligation to
anyone, and II l am elected, l shall
serve the state of Florida and her
citizens faithfully, honestly, and as
ably as l can, without favor to or fear
from any interest adverse to hers or
theirs.
L. & N. Question.
1t has been suggested that many
voters will vote against me because
l have been and am the attorney for
the Louisville and Nashville Railroad
Company for the state Of Flor
ida. 1t is fact that 1 have
been and am such attorney, but
l have no regrets because Of 1t nor
apologies for it. My connection with
it has, however, been entirely profess
sional, and concerned in no wise with
its policies. AS it's lawyer, l have
served it faithfully and honestly, and
to the best Of my ability, and in the
same manner land not otherwise), as
| have served my other clients. 1t
has been one of my clients, and moth
ing more, and has not influenced the
independence Of my thoughts or &C
tons. The emoluments received from
it. have been but a small part of my
income from my general professional
practice; and my actions toward OF
for it have been as unbiased by any
consideration of it's employment of me
as my actions toward or for other
clients None of such other clients
have in 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 haze been
allowed by me to demand or induce
from me an injustice to an opposing
litigant or the public. If any con
firmation Of this statement is required
reference may be had to the attor'
neys and litigants to whom
have been opposed and to any
local attorney of that railroad com
pany, to whom l have given direc
ticns as to the conduct of Its matters
committed to their care, or more
broadly still, to the people Of Pensa
cola, among whom am proud to have
lived a lifetime. think that the I'M
prejudiced will fail to see in such re
lation with that railroad company any
Inconsistency between my duties tC
it and the performance of the highes,
duty as citizen to the public, or any
reason why l should not be elected tc
serve the people. My freedom from
any slavish adherence to that railroad
company is hest illustrated by the
fact that for twenty-five years l have
been actively and publicly assisting
in the endeavor to construct railroads
into Pensacola, which would have
been competitive with it, and in the
effort, have contributed thousands Of
donars in cash, and tens of thousands
of dollars in personal and professional
time and services
Legislative Record.
l have been in public life only ir
the constitutional convention of 1888;
and in the senate of Florida of 100;
and 1905, all since l have been attor
ney for that railroad company, and
appeal confidently to the journals o.
| those bodies as evidence that my
votes were always for and in behal
Of the interests of the public.
| If l am elected to the United State:
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 suci
systems There would be inconsis
| tency between the duties of a legisla
tor required to legislate upon matters
vital to a large corporation and of al
attorney of that corporation, and
should avoid the inconsistency by re
signing my attorneyship for it befor'
entering upon my duties as senator
thus obeying the prohibition agains
an endeavor to serve two masters, an,
the Injunction to avoid the appearance
of evil. l shall not, however, resigl
now, for to do so would be an abviou
+ effort to catch. votes, and an admis
sion that my services to the Louis
vile and Nashville Railroad Compan
! have been incompatible with my pos
session Of that good citizenship an
character which should be the basis O
I: claim to election to public Office.
| I shall, upon any occasions whicl
may require it, discuss this question
fully with the voters, and ! am conf
| dent that I shall be able to demon