The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1912-05-27
MR.. SLOAN'S VIEW ON RACE
FOR CONGRESSNlAN-AT

To the Voters OF Lakeland and Polk
County:
have apsitated TO write this ar
ticie for the reason that ! dislike
&c mix up il politics ,eXcept to do
my duty as citizen but feeling i'm
pressed that i is my duty TO my
nei.h bors. MANY II whom may not
know il. To aog4a.u' them with one
fact, in the career Of Mr.. Toomer.
which would cnaAl, acm 10 deter
mine more intclligeurly, whether or
not they will support Him for Con-
sress, am addressing this note.
did not know until | got the Even
irg Telegram Saturday morning.
that any one in this see ion was es-
pecially championing the cause of
Mr. TOOmcr. and AS was just lcav-
ing town on business, and did not
set back until Saturday night, | had
nc opportunity to get this before the
people earlier but as Mr.. TOomer has
already made his feeble, and worse
than puny defense. for this charge.
which was made early in the cam
paign, | feel that it is in no way
taking advantage OF him TO publish
a fact which he has already 2cknOwl-
edged 70 be true. During the last
session Of the Florida Legislature,
when that body. together with good
people throughout the State. were
doing all possible 10 protect the hon
or, manhood and womanhood of our
State, by legislating out of its Dor
ders that worse than curse, the race
track evil, when men and women,
more especially in communities
where race meets were being con-
Quoted, were by letters, kilograms,
and through delegations Of citizens,
praying for relief, this wonderful
business man, Mr.. Toomer, who now
asks us to send him TO Congress, was
in Tallahassee with the race track
'rowd aiding them in their efforts to
this tif possible) greatest
Iurse with which any State has had
10 contend. The good people of Jack
Mr.. TONERS neighbors
we're urging that they MUST HAVE
'clicf, that the gambling spirit was
weeping over the city at an alarm
ng rate, that the lives and fortunes
;! many of their citizens were bpin.
wrecked, that many of the leading
hotels OF the city We're so oycrr,,n
With the toughest element of the
'ountry OF both sexes that decent
,coplc were afraid to stop at them,
'iany even stunning the city: and
;et. Mr.. Toomcr being employed as
IL says by the race track crowd. was
Helping them. You understand that
&c was not defending them before
ne courts, in suit brought against
hem. but was with them before the
legislature. where they were endeay.
ring to prevent the passage of leg
station intended to put them out of
business. Their only hope was 10 de-
eat the bill altogether, or get il so
lmcnded as to MAKE il ineffective. Mr.
boomers feeble effort to excuse him
elf. by saying that he was their at
orney, and they asked him to do il.
: worse than no excuse. \ LAWYER |
las no more right to do wrong, even |
houGh his employers should ask il
II him, than has any other man.
laNc known lawyers to refuse cases
! here the highest good OF COM |
nuniiy was involved, and any man !
no hasn't. at least, this much moral
'ourasc and backbone, is in my mds-,
ncnt mighty poor man to send to
onGress. or 10 place in any import |
mt position. business ability. |
which. il is claimed. Mr.. roomcr has.
S all right. but Il man who places |
money above the lives and souls of /
"a. which Mr. Toomcr did when he
Mas aiding that race track crowd, is
OF a safe man to represent he honor |
md dignity of any people.
II this race track proposition had
been Il profitable one for the : a,e.
speaking. Mr.. Too,ner
night have had some little defense
with those who think of gain, 10 III,
neglect of more important matters
but. making ii financial proposition !
pre- and simple. the State never had
a greater curse. So the only homes,
answer which any man connected /
with the proposition can give 10 N. 4
question why were you for it, world |
be. for what could get out OF i,
to the absolute ignoring OF the in
iercsts of the State. financial and o.h-
erwlse. 10 We need iinaneiers AZ |
this Kind in congress? think Ne
have too many of them ALREADY
If my good friends Deem and H.,t