The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1912-10-20
FLORIDA REPUBLICANISM
Under Roosevelt and Taft

The coalition that the "organiza-
ton" had made with Mr.. Coombs
saved the jobs of the Organization"
boys, and they were all reappointed.
which was the main thing. in fact the
only thing, that the boys were inter
ested In, but there was greater issue
at stake in the master mind of that
astute politician, preacher and philoso
pher. Joseph y. Lee, who for thee
years previous, since the accession o.
II. s. Chubb to the craftsmanship of
the state committee. had dominated
the organization. Judge Long. the
national committeeman, during that
period and until his death in 1909. was
enjoying life in Cairo. Egypt. Presi-
dent Mckinley having appointed him
as consul general to Cairo, in recog-
milton of his part of the services rem
dered in securing for Mckinley the
Florida delegation to the national con-
vention at st. Louis in 1895, so was
removed from the Florida field of po-
litical activities.
! Chubb was not in good standing
with either Mckinley or Hanna, owing
TO his opposition to a Mckinley dele
cation from Florida in 1896, and Den
mis- Eagan, Joe Stripping and myself,
the remaining original" Mckinley
fpen, had been eliminated from the or
eanisation by the trade made between
Long and Lee Of the Mckinley element
on the one hand and the Chubb fac
ton in the state convention of 1898
which made Chubb chairman and con-
tinued Lee as secretary of the state
committee.
So these circumstances made Lee
the middleman and influence through
which this Long-Lee lily white COM
bination of an organization reached
the good graees of Mckinley and Han
ma for about three years preceding Me-
Kinley's death.
A Remarkable Character.
This remarkab bic character possess
Ing. although black man, a trained
and educated mind, having a thorough
comprehension of the weaknesses of
human nature, had been able after en-
trenching himself many years before
with the control of the Republican or
ganization of Jacksonville and Duval
county, and being a Methodist preach
er, having great influence in the ma
tional and state organization of that
chgrcn, to exercise strong but bane-
Eui influence on the party in Florida
1t had taken him twenty-five years
Or more of unremitting political work
TO finally acquire control of the or
ganization and 1t was now necessary
to extend his influence over Mr..
Coombs, ito save for himself the fruits
and power of his life work.
The geography of the state of Flor
- ida As quite a wonderful study and
s0Ene of the towns are very inaccess-
Tie, and at this time Apalachicola,
hon IF
treEiely isolated and having no rail-
road could only be reached by boat
from River Junction or by a branch
railroad and boat from Tallahassee via
Carrabelle. This placed Mr.. Coombs
In remote location, and his acquaint-
ance with the people in the party, out
side of his own baliwick, was limited,
and having large business interests
that demanded his attention, as soon
as the. novelty of being boss wore off
little he was an easy mark for so
astute and designing a mind as that
Of Joseph e. Lee
kinsfoIk Willing to Serve.
And he had some kinsfolk and bust
ness associates and friends that were
willing to serve the government for
the consideration fixed therefor by
law. and the Difference to every wish
that he expressed in these matters by
Lee and associates was as complete
as his wishes were effective.
First, a nephew of Mr.. Coombs de-
sired the IMPORTANT position of ap-
praiser for the port of Tampa. The
nephew was appointed. He had al
ready secured the appointment of his
choice, Mr.. Tip Warren as collector
Of customs at Apalachicola, and when
short time later Mr.. Warren died,
he had son of Warren, barely of
age, appointed TO his place, and about
the same time Waiter Robinson's
death caused vacancy in the receiv-
ership of the United States land Office
at Gainesville, and another citizen of
Apalachicola, and a son also of the
late Mr.. Tip Warren, was given the
R9sition.
I think another of Mr. Coombs's
nephews was appointed inspector OF
customs at Carrabelle. and c. H Par.
lin. a business associate of Mr..
Goombs. expressed a desire to be sur
veyor general of Florida. and r. L.
Scarlet, Republican of some note
in the politics of the party of that
era, was summarily set aside and Mr..
Parlin assumed the duties and per-
uuisites of the office
About year after Coombs was
made referee" john Eagan of Pen