The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1912-05-31
THIS PAPERS POSITION

For instance, it persists in the
statement that the Ocala Banner was
originally a Harmon newspaper, and
throws out the insinuation that its
editor, if elected delegate to the
Baltimore convention, will drop Tn
derwood at the earliest opportunity
and flop over to the Harmon forces.
The truth of the matter is that the
Ocala Banner was originally fol
Woodrow Wilson, and it has made
that statement so often that there
ought not to be any misunderstanding
about it.
Behind the bullrushes at Princeton
it thought that the true Moses of de
mocracy had been discovered.
It's attention was first directed to
Mr.. Woodrow Wilson by the very
able and apparently unbiased and I'M
prejudiced articles concerning him
that appeared in Harper's Weekly
and other reputable publications
throughout the country.
His fitness for occupying and adj
ministering the high office of pres
ident of the nation were presented in
a manner, that appealed to ones
judgment and intelligence.
This paper continued to look with
favor upon Mr. Woodrow Wilson's as
pirations until he made that fatal
break with his friends, and, as it
thought, for the purpose of acquiring
popularity with the grandstand and
galleries, began to coquet with the
initiative, referendum, recall" and
other like political nostrums.
There is no question in the minds
of intelligent people that Colonel
George Harvey, of Harper's Weekly,
made Mr.. Woodrow Wilson a presi-
Dental possibility He was first,
fast and true friend. He went so far
as to foist his name at the masthead
of his paper, which, without doubt,
magnified Governor Wilson's splendid
qualifications for the execution of the
duties of the office in the minds of
many people.
Governor Wilson's harsh and bril-
tai treatment of Colonel Harvey, and
his like treatment of Colonel Wattec-
son, the very Gamaliel of democracy,
convinced us that he was taking too
strenuous leaps and bounds to secure
the nomination, and that his want of
tactfulness and qualities of mind un-
fitted him for the leadership of a
great party.
So when he mercilessly dropped
his friends and began piping strange
tunes and worshipping other and
strange gods, this papers admiration
for him ceased and it could love him
no longer.
That is all there is to it.
This paper next turned to Governor
Judson Harmon, a very Gibraltar of
democracy in his own state, and it is
glad that his popularity has stood the
mighty assaults of Mr.. Bryan and his
cohorts. We wish to say here and
now that this paper has lost none Of
its admiration for him, and is sorry
that it cannot hold Governor Wilson
in the same high estimation.
When this paper turned to Gov
ernor Harmon Mr.. Underwood's cam
paign had not been considered seri-
ously by his friends, but as soon as it
was made plain that the proposition
was seriously considered this paper
at once espoused his cause, not be-
cause it loved Harmon less or I'm
derwood more, but because the south
had been so long overlooked that it
was beginning to feel that it was not
in its fathers house, and was accord
ed a questionable participation in its
affairs
In the person of Mr.. Underwood it
presented to the nation a man fully
equipped for the high office; he h lad
made the science of government a
study; he had exhibited qualities OF
leadership that has not been excelled
in century; though born in the
south and still residing here. he is un-
sectional and national in his views;
his public record is clean and his pri-
vate life is blameless; his achieve
ments have been great and his ideals
lofty.
We offer him as one of the nations
best assets, and the more we study
his character the more proud we are
of him, and if elected a delegate to
the Baltimore convention the editor
of this paper will not leave his stand
ard as long as there is hand found
to wave it.
If Mr.. Underwood is turned down
the nomination of Governor Harmon.
SnaaLar Clark Governor Marshall