The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1911-01-25
. . . q - q Q q Q q q .
LAST HEAT IN THE
SENATORIAL DERBY

Live Oak Democrat.

And now the last heat in the great
senatorial Derby is on, and with all the
people of Florida looking on, the two
| thoroughbreds, Blount and Bryan. have
| started in on the final magnificent
| burst of speed" for the royal prize hung
| up for the winner. The Democrat
takes the unexciting role of the impair
| tial commentator and historian On the
| issue and is content to record events
| as they occur, sure that the people will
| do the right thing and that Florida
| will get a good senator, no matter
which one wins.
| At this writing, which is before the
official count by the state committed
Mr.. Biount's total vote is set down at
| 1926; Mr.. Bryan's total vote, S,503,
and Mir. Stockton's total vote 1926.
| These figures eliminate Mr.. Stockton
and give Mr.. Blount a heavy lead of
more than 1000 votes over Mr.. Bryan.
This is large advantage in the pend
| ing contest, and carries with it a Ger
tain prestige which may make many
| additional votes for Mr.. Blount, as it
is one of the marked traits of human
nature to want to get on what looks TO
| be the winning side.
The problem of the second primary,
| of course, is, to which candidate will
the Stockton vote, or the greater part
of it, go. It is fair to assume that Mr..
Blount will hold the full strength of his
lyote in the recent primary; and if he
does this. and there shall be no larger
total vote polled in the second than IN
the first primary. considerably less
THAN half of Stocl1ton's strength given
to him would elect him. But it is by
no means certain that he can get it.
Mr.. Stockton's vote came largely from
men who were his devoted personal
followers, who have stayed with him il
all his campaigns, more or less, by his
personal wishes in the coming primary
He has addressed a public letter &c
them asking their support for Mr.. Bry-
) an. and if they comply that gentleman
will be elected, assuming that he will
continue to hold his vote in the first
primary.
Messrs. Blount and Bryan have botl
started in on the final test of strength
with much vigor, and doubtless as ia.
as possible, they will go over the Same
ground they did before. There is moth
| ing new to be said now by either If
the way Of argument, and they car
ciiy Ieicdt anu tiidolES "iittl lily
, have already said.
But speechmaking nor literature has
much influence over large section O.
voters who neither hear the one MOI
read the other. and are governed by
; fragmentary bits OF campaign talk
; personal likes or disli6es or fixed pre-
conceptions in casting their ballots
There are perhaps enough of these
; now released from their allegiance =
Mr.. Stockton, to determine the issue
How they will vote no man can &C
curately predict, no matter how wei
informed he may be, nor how shrcwd
ly he may reason. They are the IN
known quantity in the coming primary
, and while Mcssrs. Blount and Bryan
. both profess themselves sure of vic
tory, we can share the confidence o
neither because we can't look into tn
minds of these Stockton voters VIII,
may or may not follow their defeated
leader into the camp of Mr.. Bryan.