The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1912-03-30
Thankful for Kind.
ness of Friends

In announcing for congressman
at-large for the great state OF flor-
ida. | desire, first of all, to express
NV sincerest gratitude for the kindly
expressions on the part oil my friends
of their belief in my fitness for the
place, whi.O have appeared, from
time to time, In the public prints.
While | am deeply conscious that !
do not merit all that has been said
in behalf of my candidacy. l am
however, quite sure that no one
could be more thankful for what has
been written in my interest than
am. l..
It is my determined purpose. IN
making this race tor congress, 70
deal in entire candor with myself
and with the public. do not wish
To nose as one whose importance Is
such that the idea Of seeking onice
of this character had to come to
him wholly through the sugges'
lions oil friends. This. In my judg-
ment, would be an abuse OF the
generosity that has been shown me-
On the other hand, l can truthtuily
say that the initiative having been
taken by those who thought that l
was qualified for this high position.
has made II much easier for me to
make this public announcement OF
my purpose, and has greatly
strengthened my faith In my ability
to serve my state in congress.
Seasoned for Service.
am at that time of life when the
physical man is. as ! believe. at the
best for good service. My mental
endowments and attainments, what
ever may be their limitations when
compared with those of others, ! am
persuaded, have been developed to
such an extent that caution, sober
ness and earnestness will control In
the forming of judgments for direct
ing conduct. By frugality and dill
gence, | am possessed of sufficient
means to allow me to give myself to
the demands of public affairs. with
out fret concerning my private IN
terests, which can be handled SO as
in no way to detract from the duties
that | shall owe to my state and
constituency, should be entrusted
with the duties of cOngrcssman-a'-
large from the state OF Florida.
will say, in all frankness, that
much desire the Office, in the mean
ing ordinarily conveyed, when 1t Is
said that men aspire for place. BE.
ing a plain man. arom the people,
am ambitious to reflect credit upon
myself and the people | may repre-.
sent But above these motives
which spring naturally In the hu.
man heart. ! am come to the season
IN life when ! desire, more than al
else, to be of service to my country
In a larger way than has yet beer
my privilege. and II | shall be elect
to the congress of the United State!
] pledge ITO bring to the high Office
my best powers and energies Of body
and mind and heart. pledge to pul
my entire self to the task of making
my life count for the good OF my
state and III my couptrymen.
PLATFORM.
Evolution Of the Government.
In the political evolution OF our
government, nothing strikes the stu.
dent of history with greater force
than the recurrence OF great issues.
The size. variety o. interest, and gem
eral inequality of the different sec
tions has, in general, been the cause
OF. first one issue being to the fore,
then. another. Great measures have
been relcgatcd to the background
not because they were unworthy of
serious &C lsideration. but rather be-
cause our country has as yet d.
veloped scctiOnally. The majority
control. cardinal tenet ID our gov
eminent, and rightly SO. has never
theless worked a hardship on the
more sparsely settled and less favor
ed sections of the United States;
consequently parts of the country
are richer in the holdings of money,
culture and institutions than are
other parts, equally as worthy of
such institutions and money hold
fngs. and as susceptible of such de-
velOpment, but they are in the back
ground because those measures nec-
essary for such improvement, as yet,
have not been pressed. or else they
have, DOR the time, given way to
other measures more easily UNDER
stood as belonging to the function
OF the national government.
For instance: II is understood
that until the war Of 1912 the main
purpose Of our tariff had been reve-
nue.. with protection only as an in
cident. During the war manufac-
turing became developed partly
through our own embargo, partly
through our armed hostility. Manu-
featuring had grown to be an en-
tensive interest. comparing in i'm
pOrtance with agriculture and COM
merce. Therefore, in the new tar
III Cd 1916 the relation was reversed,
protection being made the main aim
and revenue the incident. Here We
have most interesting illustration
OF how measure was brought to
the front for the benefit of Sec
ton and for the enrichment of a
class. \ measure against which the
democratic party has always con-