The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1912-10-16
SQEANISH At THE WRONG SEASON

What's the use of having such
large political contributions, anyway"
asks the Ocala Banner. one or two
good political newspap ers Of different
political shades of thought ought TO
enable the honest and candid voter to
make up his mind for whom 10 vote.
There are a great many hangers-on
around political headquarters"
This is one Of the most candid and
yet entirely appropriate remarks made
| in the present campaign Some day
the voters of the country will decide
that it is a pretty idea for them 10 be
called upon TO hand over a dollar or
hundred thousand for the privilege of
endorsing somebody who Is working
himself half TO death TO get an office
so that ne. the office-seeker. won't have
to work after he. gets it.-Times-
Union.
| This is a mighty fine principle, and
the Star hopes to see it earnestly ad-
vocated at the beginning of the next
campaign. Considering the circum-
stances. however, it is rather queer
doctrine for a democratic paper to be
printing just now. About the only
effect it can have. when printed in the
Banner or Times-Union will be to ex-
cuse the all too numerous democrats
who are shy or stingy OF contributing
TO their campaign fund. and ii l. a safe
bet that neither Of the abOve-named
papers would have spoken so if Tn
derwood, Harmon Clark was the
nominee instead Of Wilson.
There is no proof that there is any
large number of hangers-on around the
democratic headquarters. 1t is easy
for any man who keeps up with cur
rent events to see that the men VINO
are working hardest for Wilson are
leaders in the business and professional
world who are neglecting their own
! affairs to help elect the democratic
candidate. Campaign contributions Sc
far are modest, to say the least, far
less than a quarter of a million dollars
1t is evident by the volume of cam
paign literature that comes into every
newspaper office that the bill fol
} printing and postage alone will be {
large one. This is an entirely homes
? and legitimate campaign expense. 1
! is argument, and it is very we'll pre-
: pared argument, at that. 1t is no
2 necessary in Florida or any Othe1
southern state, but in the north
r where the people are undecided how t.
l vote, the campaign literature. espe
1 ing and the tariff, is of immense i'm
g pOrtance
While the south is safe to vote on,
way, the south is more interested il
e democratic success than any other sec
ton. We are more interested in tn
= tariff, because the tariff has Away
been framed for the benefit of tn
= north and to the prejudice of the south
S We are interested in democratic vic
tory because it will sweep away tn
S last vestiges of carpetbag rule, an
n that alone is worth all we can do t
= bring it to pass.
1t is very unjust as we'll as very ba
taste for the Times Union to insinuat
;, that Wilson is working himsel
t half to death to obtain an office s
that he won't have to work after h
/, obtains it. Woodrow Wilson has neve
= had to work himself half to death t
t obtain any position of trust and honor
and if he is elected president he vii
e have to work harder than he ever di
f before. Such a sneer is one that eve
a republican paper might be ashame
f Of We daresay the T.-U. will say
r didn't mean any such thing, but it
easy rather than otherwise to put sue
a construction on it.
t 1t is not surprising, however, to sc
such remarks in either the Banner o
t the Times-Union. Both fought vii
sons nomination much harder tina
g they have worked for democratic sue
: cess since he was nominated, an
neither had any rebukes for Under
: woods managers when they wer
spending thousands of dollars in tn
Estate last spring.