The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1911-01-18
MR.. BLOUNT,s ADDRESS

court houSe-an audience in size, IN |
tel1igence and interest that must nave |
been quite f1attering to the distinguish
ed speaker. There were quite a num-
Der of ladies present. The meeting |
was announced for 1870. but most of |
our people had the impression that il |
did not start until o'clock, the au- |
dience did not gather until then and |
Editor Harris, who introduced the |
speaker. said if any one in the au- |
dience desired to speak before Mr.. |
Blount he could have that opportunity, |
and called on several persons present, |
but they declined, as they had come to
hear and not be heard.
1t was Sis when Mr.. Harris present
ed Mr.. Blount, saying that fifty years
ago, this very month, the demon OF
war was stalking through the land and
the people had been aroused to angry,
fraticidal strife, which ended four
years later in dissolution, ruin and
disappointment and the devastating eff
fects OF same had not yet been fully
eradicated. He said is generally the
case the thoughtless, the loud mouthed
and the rampant had the floor and ran
rough shod over the wiser and more
modest, thinking people He said the
conservative, thoughtful, patriotic peo-
pie, North and South, exerted their
best efforts to prevent the impending
struggle, but the curb stone agitators
were too many and overbore all oppO-
sition. He then referred to reconstruc-
ton times and the suffering brought on
the Southern people by incompetent
national legislation He referred to the
distinguished men that represented the
South in Congress before and after the
war and from the tide of political bat
tie during the late election, there was
a bright ray of promise of a democrat
ic victory in 1912, and that the South
should send it's ablest men to Congress
TO again assert it's ability to assist in
making laws and carrying on the gov
eminent and in the person of the dis
tinguished citizen who would address
them he felt confident such virtues,
such ability. such judgement and such
power resided. If he could be elected
that would place Florida in the fore
front with such able representatives
and law makers.
Mr.. Blount graciously acknowledged
the high compliment paid him by the
chairman. Mr.. Blount then paid the
ladies present a high compliment by
saying they were the power behind the
domestic throne and were largely in :
strumental in inducing their husbands
to vote for the right man.
He defined what should constitute the
qualifications of a candidate for the
high office Of senator. First and fore
most he should be rigidly honest, with
a mind educated to think clearly,
judiciously and with ability to discuss
all public questions in an impartial,
just and equitable manner; to meet all
opposition and fully and logically an
swer any objections, SO that the best
interests of all the people would be
served. He made a masterful plea for
individuality, hence he firmly believed
in the primary, that every voter
was a true sovereign and the judge of
the qualifications of the candidates
and at the polls each could express
their preferences, in contradistinction
to the old convention system where a
few men combined and said who you
should vote for.
He did not believe in the methods of
the dema gogue-he frowned and
despised such trick attempts to cajole
the voter with Misrepresentation and
appeals to the passions and prejudices
of the voter instead of to his intel
ligence and reason. He said he was no
mans or no corporations candidate.
Every dollar he had put into the cam
paign was money he had earned by
persuing his profession. That lately
he had been rendered money by friends
to assist him in his campaign, but
these offers he had declined.
He said he had uttered no word dur
ing the campaign against his oppor-
ents that he was ashamed of He COM
plimented Mr. Stockton on the clean
campaign he had waged. He could
not say as much for his present OPP
ponent. Mr.. N P. Bryan, who had said
things about him, Blount, for which
the speaker asked the proof. but it had
never been forthcoming.
He referred to his campaign litera-
ture, which in his way of thinking was
the embodiment of the principles OF
the party as enunciated by Jefferson
and Monroe. He said he unhesitating-
ly believed in the state railroad COM
mission and the work of the Interstate
Commission. Their labors were a ne
cessity to the people of the land. They
should not only have power to make
rates, but power to enforce them. 1t is
the immensely and power of corpora
tions that hurts. Unrestricted power
is always dangerous and therefore
should be curtailed and controlled. He
said his opponent, Bryan, had char
acterized his advocacy of government
aid in building good roads as bun
combe." He said good roads spoke for
themselves and then showed how un-
der the constitution of the United
States, the government had as much
right and authority to make appro-
priations for good roads as it had tC
improve rivers and harbors That il
had done so in the past in the building
of the highway from Cumberland. Md
to Wheeling. w. Va, and on which
two millions of dollars was appro-
priated; also in aiding the building OF
the Union Pacific Railroad by issuing
200 million of bonds. Then why
not take the money that is wasted ev-
cry year, IL million dollars, in hauling
the products of the farm over wretch
ed roads and employ it in lettering
the condition of said roads. Twelve
million dollars yearly would build 12.-
900 miles of good roads.
He then took up the charges pre-.
ferred against him, made by Mr.
Toomer. at the Bryan meeting in thi:
city Saturday, and showed they were
made out OF whole cloth. He wa!
charged with being the attorney fol
Judge Swain, in his impeachment trial
He said his only connection with tn,
trial was as a witness, testifying will
damaging facts in one case against tn,
judge, in another in his favor, but h,
was a witness and told what he abso
lutely knew to be true. Also accuse,
nf hni