The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1910-02-15
READ THE RECORD
OF TaliaferrO'S Service. Says L'Enele
and Form Your Own Con-
illusions.
Ocala. Fla Feb |.

ciusiOns
OcaIa Fla. Feb. II, 1910.
Editor Star:-The lines on which
/ nave cast my canvass for the dem
ocratic nomination for L. S senator
from Florida. will not permit me TO
aS support from any Florida news
paper. | believe that the office OF
United States senator belongs 20 the
people Of Florida, and that each in
diTidual should cast his vote for the
man who can convince him that he.
as |. 5. senator, can perform better
service for all the people of Florida.
than any OF the others who may Of
fer for this office. For this reason
have no criticism to make OF you
when, in an editorial appearing in
The Weekly Star of Friday. Feb.
l1th, YOU say that Senator Taliafer-
70 should be continued in office In
this editorial you express your inii-
vidual opinion, formed doubtless
from your knowledge OF the man and
your acquaintance with his work as
a senator: but. because | am trying
20 convince the people of Florida
without resortlng TO any means OF
methods except a presentation to
them of his record and views and al
lgnmentS and mine. that | should
be chosen by the people of Florida
to represent them in their office Of
United States senator instead OF
Senator Taliaferro; | will avail my
self Of the opportunity that your
courtesy will. doubtless. afford me,
OF presenting. through your col
umns. to your readers. some reasons
why | think YOU are wrong in your
conclusions that Senator Ta1iaferrO
should be longer continued in the
seat in the United States senate that
belongs to all the people OF Florida.
There was a time when |, like you.
thought that Senator Taliaferro
should be continued in the office
which he now holds: but, that was
six years ago. before | had studied
the record OF Senator Taliaferro and
when | was willing to accept as true
what others said about that record.
| suspect that you are still in the
same situation as to Senator Talia
ferrOs record, as | was six years
ago. | suspect that YOU have not
studied the record Of Senator Talia-
ferrO, nor have you seen it, but that
YOU are willing TO cOncede that it is
good. because other people, especi-
ally interested in Senator Taliafer
rO's retention Of the office. say that
it is good. | have not been content
to do this. And. beginning at the
time when | printed my first news
paper, | have studied the records Of
the public men in Florida. I am
now prepared TO offer for your study
the complete record that Senator
Taliaferro has made since he has
been in office, beginning in 1898
and ending at the close of the last
regular session of Congress. | have
also some special information about
Senator Taliaferro, and his dealings
at your disposal. | do this because
it is my intention to place the infor-
nation which | have before as many
OF the democratic voters Of Florida
as it is possible for me 10 reach.
This information, which | have. has
formed in my mind the conclusion
that Senator TaliaferrO should not
be longer permitted TO occupy one OF
FlOridaS S seats in the United States
senate.
You say. in your editorial enti-
tied "FIorida Business Senator"
that Senator Taliaferro is an alta Bile,
a pleasing, a reasonable. a sensible,
and an able man. These are pleas
ant things, but they are not impor-
tant In that they do not distinguish
Senator Taliaferro from thousands
OF other Floridians. You also say
that Senator Taliaferro has served
the people of Florida faithfully
zealously. conscientiously and eff
feCtivelv. Who. standing firmly for
democratic doctrines, is not unmind-
ful of the wants of our people, and
l. !
promotion of public enterprises in
the state
Senator Taliaferro's record does
not show that he has stood firmly
for democratic doctrines: because il
discloses the fact that he stood for
the protective principle in making up
the tariff. when a tariff for protec-
ton has, from time immemorial
been the principle that the demo-
cratic party has declared against
Senator Taliaferro has not been
mindful Of the wants OF the people
OF Florida: because his record does
not show that he has introduced a
single bill nor offered amendment or
resolution, that would relieve the
people from the intolerable wrongs
put upon them by the organized
power of special privilege.
It is true that Senator Talia ferro
has secured aid for the promotion OF
public enterprises in the state. but
he has not done more for his state
than the most uncOmprOmiSing agi-
tatOr of them all-Senator Tillman
has done for his. For. the official
records show that during the last
ten years, which is the period OF
Senator Taliaferro's service. there
has been nearly as much money ap-
propriated for rivers and harbOrs i'm
provement in South Carolina. with
only one hundred and eighty miles
OF sea coast and two hundred miles
OF naviga hle streams, as was apprO-
priated during the same period for
Florida. with twelve hundred and
fifty miles OF sea coast and twelve
hundred miles OF navisable streams.
Going lurther back in the official
record. one discovers that the agita-
tor Tillman. has gotten more money
for South Carolina than the discreet
and conservative business senator
has for Florida during their service
in Congress.
In the complete transcript that I
have OF the record OF Senator Talia-
ferrO since he has been in Congress.
find that eighty-five per cent. OF
his entire congressional endeavor.
has been 20 get pensions for three
hundred and seventy people livin G
~, 40 ha ~