The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1910-01-02
L'ENGLE TALKS
ON WITHDRAWAL
Of W.A.bLOUNT
SAYS IT WILL AFFECT THE SEN
ATORIAL RACE, MAKING & CON-
SIDERABLE CHANGE IN NO
SMALL PORTION OF WEST
FLORIDA.

Tallahassee, Jan. 1.-Ciaude L'Engle,
former editor of the Sun, now a can
didate for the United States Senate,
who arrived day or two ago at his
home in Tallahassee to spend Christ
mas, has given out the following state
ment about the Senatorial race in
general and Mr.. Blount's withdrawal
from the race in particular:
That the withdrawal of an able
man, one who has impressed a great
many people with his ability, his at
tainments and his character, as Mr..
Blount has done, Will affect the Sen
atorial race is not to be questioned
1t will make a considerable change in
the lineup of no small portion of the
West Florida vote. It will free the
minds of considerable number of pa
triotic gentlemen living west of the
Apalachicola river who felt in duty
bound to give aid, comfort and sup
port to Mr.. Blount's candidacy because
he SO conspicuously represented the
ust-have-a-Senator idea,
and more particularly the idea, that
has grown strong from long indul-
gence in that pleasing luxury, that
Pensacola must have Senator, as she
has had one, with a short interval,
since Charles w. Jones was elected
In 1875. These people, forming, as L
say, no fnconsiderable number who
were inclined and even determined to
support Mr.. Blount on account of his
Pensacola residence and flavor, will
now be free to choose one from among
those whom they consider the best,
even IL he does not happen to live
west Of the Apalachicola river. These
men will go to a Leon county man
rather than to one from Duval county.
am a resident of Leon county Of
nearly four years standing. Few OF
these Blount supporters and enthus-
iastic admirers can go to Mr.. Reeves
on account of the contentious that had
arisen between the two men, which
Mr.. Reeves's expressions of opposition
to Mr.. Blount have emphasized. None,
or at the most, but a very few of
these Blount votes can go to Mr.. Talia-
ferro because the West Florida people
remember that Mr.. Taliaferro was the
introducer of the bill prepared by the
attorneys of the Consolidated Naval
Stores Company to put Jacksonville in
possession Of the Florida naval stores
situation, and leave Pensacola and the
other ports out in the cold. Most of
the Blount votes will naturally 60 to
that candidate who does not live in
Jacksonville and who has no Jack
sonyille money or influence behind
him. This will happen because of the
naval stores reason I have mentioned,
and also because of the opposition to
the observation-disclosures Jacksonville con-
dition as it now exists. If they can
not go to Reeves, for the reason stat
ed, they must come to me.
Mr. Blount says in his letter to the
public that his three months tour in
over half the state has convinced him
that no one VINO is not very widely
known can be elected United States
Senator without making close can
vass, going into every village. Mr..
Blount has found out by personal OBJ
servation and experience what was in
the beginning known to me. I would
not have entered the Senatorial race
if | had not felt that l was almost
universally known throughout the
length and breadtn of Florida; and in
addition to this general introduction to
the people that / have, earned through
my work for the people in my news
paper enterprises, determined before
hand to make just the close personal
canvass, reaching every village, that
Mr.. Blount describes as one of the
essentials for Senatorial success.
Easier for L'Engle. :.
Mr.. Blount's withdrawal will in no