The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1910-06-03
THE MOST STRIKING
FIGURE IN FLORIDA.
(From the Pensacola Journal.J

krlou tuo IeusdCOld JOuTHd,l
The recent primary in Florida pro
duced, in some circles at least, some
very unexpected and surprising results.
One of these results was the vote for the
United States senator
II was generally expected that Senator
Taliaferro would lead the ticket and if
he had been nominated in the first pri.
mary no one would have been greatly
surprised.
The fact of the senior senator's long
and useful service to Florida; the fact
that his forces in the State were thor
oughly organized and that his financial
resources were sufficient TO make posi-
BILE the most complete and exhaustive
campaign; the fact that his chief oppo-
nent, former Governor Broward, had
two years previously suffered defeat and
that he entered the present campaign so
late and, apparently with so little enthu-
siasm, that even his friends regarded his
chances as almost hopeless; the fact
that the former governor is a man OF
very limited financial resources and that
there were no large interests which
could be depended upon to come to his
support-all of these things combined 10
make the result OF the first primary both
unexpected and surprising. No one
imagined that Governor Broward would
receive as large vote in the first pri-
mary as Senator Taliaferro, much less
lead the ticket, as he seems now TO have
done by the small majority of 50
votes.
Less than seven years ago, few people
outside OF Duval county (where he had
served as sheriff. had ever heard OF
Broward in the politics of the stale.
His name had appeared in the newspa-
perS as the filibuster master of the Three
Friends, who had made several success
full runs with arms and supplies for the
Cuban army. AS a political leader he
was unknown.
Six years ago this same unknown man
entered the campaign for governor
against an opponent who was regarded
as the most eloquent and popular citizen
OF Florida-CongreSsman Robt. w
Davis. He was late, then as now, in
making his announcement. He was
limited, then as now, in financial re-
sources He was then, as now, without
any organization, and then as now, he
had an organization to fight. His issue
in that campaign was the saving of the
State Everglades lands from the rail
roads, and the drainage and reclamation
OF those lands for the benefit of the
state. No one thought he would be
elected. His drainage scheme was ridi.
culed as visionary and impracticable.
His map, his book, his method of cam
paigu were all laughed at-''jesS
laughed" at-by his political opponents.
But the votes were counted and Brow
ard was elected.
And what was the RESULT His admin
istration was a good one. His Ever
glades drainage Scheme-ridculed al
first as visionary and impracticablc-
was put into effect and is today every
where recognized as a success. He hin
self has grown in prominence, not only
in Florida, but throughout the nation.
At the national Democratic convention
In Denver he attracted attention where
ever he appeared. AT the waterways
convention in ST. Louis he was, next to
the president himself, the most talked OF
man in the gathering He is today the |
only man of national prominence in |
Florida. Go where you will-north, |
east, weSt-they ask you about Ever
glad IS drniuag" ard about "thai r1ra
bIOraIu, "hu,- naull - .I.h.u ,,...
this marvellous reclamation enterprise.
Take it altogether, Napoleon B. Brow.
ard is the most singular and striking
figure in Florida. No man like him has
appeared within the memory of the
present generation and none is likely TO
follow.
1t is not for the Journal TO advise its
readers who, between these two distin.
guiShed FloridianS-Senator Taliaferro
and Governor Broward-they shall Sc.
lect TO represent them for The next six
years in the United States senate. They
know as much about each as The Tour-
nal could possibly tell them. Numerous
reasons, both for and against, the cleo.
tion of either might be given. 1t is for
the people OF Florida to say who, in
their judgment, will serve them best.
But the achievements TO date of Napo.
leon B. Broward cannot fail-and have
not failed-to attract the attention and.
in most cases, the admiration of thought.
ful people everywhere. Any man who.
single handed and alone, without the
advantages of school education, with
out organization or money, and known
o only limited number of the people
If his state-any man who, with these
disadvantages, can in six short years
make for himself the name and the
'lace, in Florida, and in the nation, that
his man has made is a remarkable per
onality who cannot be ignored.
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The Hon. Robt w. Davis is generous
ven to Self.abnegaton. He gives to