The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1910-06-18
An uncouth NanoIeon.

TNtt oHSOu1Fl NdpClCSf.
The usually fair and accurate Vir-
ginian-Pilot has, we fear, lost its bear
| ings in denouncing as a demagogue Of
| the Jeffries Davis type ex-Gov. Brow
ard, of Florida, recently nominated for
the senate over Senator Taliaferro.
| Noting the outcome of the primary,
the Virginian-Pilot says:
| This result of the primary will add
| to the south's representation in con-
, gress another character of the type to
which Davis, of Arkansas, belongs.
Broward is ignorant, self-willed, as
sertive and uncouth, but not lacking
in native strength of mind nor without
political adroitness. The defeat Of
Broward by Fletcher two years ago
had induced the hope in other south
ern states that Florida had revolted
against radical and demagogic leader
ship, but after all it is the concern
of Floridonions what manner of
spokesman they shall have in the ma
| tional council. De gustibus no est dis
putandum."
1t is true that Broward-Napoleon
Bonaparte Broward, in facts un-
couth, unlettered and, to use an ex-
pressive manufacture, unnice, He was
born cracker" and all that he has
accomplished has been won by hard
knocks and stern fighting against big
odds. His career has been picturesque
in the extreme-the career of a coarse
dominant personality that sought its
goals directly, forcefully and regard.
less of amenities During the last re-
bellion In Cuba, he was the owner and
captain of the Three Friends" the
flibustertng tug that gave both Spain
and the United States more trouble
than all other attempts In this country
to aid the cause of Cuba Libre." 1t
was out Of the profits and reputation
acquired in this hazardous work that
this humble Napoleon found the path
cleared for his political preferment.
! AS governor of Florida, Broward was
anything but the slave of precedent
He did not sit in HIS chair and at
tempt t olearn the graces which GO
with the honor. Instead, he launched
| his state upon vast, and what looked
at first to be chimerical, enterprise
This was no less a project than the
drainage of the vast areas of swamp
lands OF southern Florida-lands, in
fact, which were the counterparts OF
the famous Everglades. He reasoned
that millions upon millions of dollars
worth of highly productive lands were
| TIE OI Ouly d lllue
of their value to be brought under cul
tivation. He brought his own per
sonal knowledge of the simpler me
chanics to bear on the problem. He
devised and invented the great dredges
to do the work. And he actually or
| ganiZed and put into such successful
operation as to prove his theory g
work that will ultimately transform q
great portion of his state. That he
did this against the advice of compe
tent engineers. and in spite of all the
ancient modes of thought proves, in
our estimation, that there Is a dea
more of the Napoleon in his cosmos
than is usually met with in the case OF
those whose parents have so incon
siderately dubbed them.
In the senate of the United States
Broward will, of course, not shine
For a time, certainly, lie will be
laughed at and caricatured. But We
predict of him that the combination
of virtue and judgment that put the
Three Friends" into danger time ant
again and then brought her safe t
port; that prompted him as governor
to grapple with a constructive policy
that he understood instead of lending
himself to ridiculous attempts a
things Of which he had no experience
will save Napoleon Bonaparte Browart
name and all-even in the senate o