Bradford County telegraph. (Starke, Fla.) 1888-current, 1910-10-14
some POLITICAL CORRESPONDENCE.
Rival Candidates For Speakershp OF The House Of Represents
tives Take A Hand At Letter Writing.

I said had been informed of certain
matters. had been so informed. The
first of these matters was that you had
made an active campaign for the speak
ership. It seems to me that it makes
very little difference whether q man
personally conducts a campaign or
whether others conduct il for him,
either through procurement or from af-
finity of interests, or otherwise, he has
made an active or inactive campaign, as
the case may be. did not, therefore,
take the pains to explain just what in !
formation 1 predicated my statements
upon-whether it was the movements !
of yourself or Of your friends. Now,
however, l shall undertake to explain 10
you why felt justified in saying l had
been informed that you had made an
active campaign: Very soon after the
nominating primary Mr.. Pleasant A.
Holt, with whom am on terms of per-
sonal friendship, notwithstanding that
We are rather far apart at this particu-
lar time on certain questions of public
policy, sent ME message by common
friend, not under the seal of confidence,
advising me not to enter the contest for
the speakership; that you were going to
be a candidate and would be elected, as
you already had all of the West Florida
nominees pledged to you. In circular
letter sent out by you subsequent to the
receipt Of this message you claimed the
support Of all the members west of the
ApalachicOla river, which is quite diff
ferent proposition and shows that our
friend Holt was doing a little bluffing
on his own account, but / am depressing.
1t is generally conceded, believe, that
Mr.. Holt is quite active in any cause
that enlists his sympathy and 1 think
there will be few to question that was
justified in alleging that you had made
an active campaign, even il / had been
no further informed than the receipt of
this message. But there were other
circumstances. Not long after this
newspapers in various parts of the state
contained notices from time to time of
the presence in their towns of Mr.. VIM.
B. Crawford. II soon became matter of
common rumor that he was making 9
canvass Of the nominees in behalf of
your candidacy. That he was in fact
doing this and otherwise looking after
your candidacy seems to be clearly indi-
Gated by letter which l received from
Hon. VIM. A. Russell, a former men,
Der of the legislature and editor of the
Palsrks News, following a visit of Mr..
Crawford TO Palstka. An extract from
that letter reads as follows: -
"Since writing you last 1 have had 8
nice visit from W. B. Crawford. late of
che Pensacola News. Mr.. Crawford re-
gretted my editorial Of last week, where
III stated that Albert jennings candi-
dacy for the speakership is being indus
triOusly urged by Pleasant A. Holt and
Others of Florida's organized whisKey
interests, and this fact will be sufficient
to accomplish his defeat. That he has
that backing is now generally under
stood Mr.. Crawford acknowledged
that Mr. Jennings had the support of
Holt and his associates, but NOT by ar
rangement; said that both Mr.. Jennings
and himself were opposed to the amend
ment, but that the Jennings campaign
for speaker was not being worked on
that line Mr.. Crawford didn't say
very much about his plans, but it was
plain TO see that he was out for bear
and that bear the speakership for his
friend Jennings"
Whether Mr.. Crawford's trips were
unauthorized by you and made without
your knowledge is no concern of mine.
OF course, your disavowsl of knowledge
Of his movements at that time and the
well established fact that he is at pres
ent connected with Mr. Hollis cam
paign headquarters may create the i'm
preston that the whiskey dealers of the
state are taking q hand III your CAM
paign. In view of this danger to your
interests it might be well for you to
flavor" your friends with another let
ter explaining this portion of the letter
you have written me, for it is well
known that every good citizen, whether
drinker or teetotaler, local optionist OF
statewide prohibitioEist land concedt
that all these classes include some good
citizens). objects to the whiskey inter
ests dominating our politics. town
, county, state or national. This is, Of
, course, merely by way Of suggestion
/ shall leave it entirely to you as tx
whether or not you explain how it hap
pened that Mr.. Crawford was making
trips in your behalf without your know
ledge.
/, Secondly, have no correction to offe
: to that part of my letter in which it wa
stated / had been informed that yol
!, were many votes short Of the necessar,
number to elect. because / ksd been 8,
informed. About the time Of the wnt
g ing Of the letter from which you hsv
e quoted one Of your active supporters L
!. Continued on page four