The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1911-01-20
Nh. RLouNTs ocALA SPEECH


Those who heard Mr.. Blount's
speech at the court house Tuesday
night were discussing it all day We'd
|nesday, and, without exception, every
criticism was in praise of it.
Without question of a doubt Mr..
Blount created a deep and favorable
impression in Ocala and in the esti-
nation of our people he left the city
a bigger man than when he entered it.
Mr. Blount's effort was a clear,
.clean-cut, able, dignified presentation
of the things he stands for, and at no
time did he descend from the lofty
plane that he at first assumed to de-
fame, criticize or ridicule his adver-
sary. His speech from start to finish
was non-abusiye.
Mr. Blount drew in classic language
his conception of a United States SEN
I'ator and while he did not for mo-
ment lay the fiattering JUNCTION to his
soul that he would reach so lofty an
ideal, he promised, if elected, that the
effort of his life would be aimed in
that direction
Mr.. Blount met every charge that
was made against him~by Mr.. Bryan
and Mr.. Bryan's friends without equiv
ocation or an attempt at evasion.
With supreme candor and effective
ness he dissected charge by charge,
and showed to the consciousness of
everyone present their utter falla-
ciousness.
For instance, he met the charge
made against him about his inserting
a Joker in the Jim Crow bill, as
is set forth at some length elsewhere
in this paper. If those who are oppos-
ed to Mr.. Blount will take the time
to read the explanation as he sets it
forth they will see how baseless is the
charge.
So he explained away his connection
with the Shotter case. Those ugly
things said about him by Colonel
Ioomer melted away like dew before
a hot July sun.
In the turpentine bill at one time
pending before congress, under its
provisions a double inspection was re-
quired when the shipments were in
terstate. That meant a great deal for
Jacksonville, because it would pre-
vent the Florida shipments from 60
ing to Savannah, but as Pensacola
got the most of her shipments from
Alabama it meant the building up of
Mobile at the expense of Pensacola.
The citizens of Pensacola were very
much worked up on the subject, and
employed Mr.. Blount to proceed at
once to Washington and use his eff
forts in having the bill modified He
did so, and was so successful in his
mission that the people of Pensacola
felt very grateful to him for it.
So he swept away the charges made
against him in the Swayne case. He
was summoned as a witness in the
impeachment proceedings. On one
count his testimony was favorable;
on the other it was very damaging.
Mr.. DeArmond, in his speech in the
case, was uncomplimentary to him,
but the speeches of some of the other
members of the committee (the
names of whom for the moment es-
cape u.s. were most f1attering.
Mr.. Blount spoke for fully an hour
and half, and engaged the profound
attention of his audience, a number
of whom were ladies.
Mr.. Blount closed with a beautiful
peoration. He said that if the people
of Florida committed this great trust
to his keeping that he would return it
to them unsoiled and unsullied.
This paper has faith enough in Mr..
Blount to say that if he is elected to
this high office that he will be as loyal
to the trust reposed in him, as true
and as faithful to the institutions and
traditions of the south, and the tradi-
lions of the fathers, as were the vestal
virgins in keeping alive the sacred
fires.
M