The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1912-02-18

eultOFId1 comment unIasOfdDle TO my
candidacy for congressman at large.
In the wednesday, editorial. he seeks
to align tine pilots of the state against
me and incidentally, perhaps. other
members of organized labor, by con-
STRUNG words in my recent speech
into an attack on the pilots.
I did say in my Pensacola speech
that if l were asked to point out a
monopoly that was lead pipe, cork
ed up (not hogged up) cinch, I would
show them the pilots.
] have formed the habit of both
speaking ana writing the truth in all
of my public work, and I was speak
ing the truth when I referred to the
pilots rs 2 monopoly and a special
interest. They are both. The pilots
themselves acknowledge that they
have a monopoly and that they are
trying to maintain their monopoly.
Proof that the pilots are a monopoly
is furnished by the bylaws of the
Pensacola Pilots Association. As to
the manner in Which J. Ed. 0'Brien
benefits from this monopoly I quote
from those bylaws:
Article XIX.
Section J. Captain ]. Ed. O'Brien
shall be allowed a full share of the
profits OF the Association so long as
he shall act in the interests of the
Association in Washington, or other
share as long as this Association ex-
lists He is to be the judge at all
times whether he is or is not, for the
purpose Of this section, acting in the
interest of the Association, This is
subject to the arbitration clause"
Thus it is seen that Capt Ed.
Q'Brien, who has by reason of his
work for the last twelve years in
Washington in behalf Of this special
| interest (of which there are only
sixty-nine men in Florida) has not
been able to set foot on q. pilot boat
in twelve years, gets a share Of the
riiotage fees that are collected at the
pert of Pensacola. He does not work
foI. this money. 1t is given to him by
the working of the monopoly, which
shuts out pilots and takes the money
from those who bear the labor burd-
ems and face the perils of their call
ing to the financial benefit of Capt.
G Brien. who does not earn dollar
at the Pensacola bar, but who claims
tG earn large number of them as a
paid lobbyist in Washington.
It is further demonstrated that Mr..
O'Brien fixed this pilot association,
which he claims to have organized. to
suit himself mighty we'll by inserting
in the article from the pilots bylaws
quoted above that he is to be the sole
judge of whether he has worked in
the interest of the pilots or not, and
that he holds this share. which he
does not earn, as long as the pilots
association lasts.
am permitted by Capt. Schools,
Capt. Perry and Capt. Malloy. who
called on me at the hotel the day after
l made my speech, to number them
among my active supporters for the
position | now seek, and they have
informed me that Capt. O'Brien can
not possibly get majority of the
Pensacola pilots to vote for him.
As Captains Schools and Perry have
known me well for Years and have
recognized the kind of work I have
done for the people of Florida in gem
eral and for the working people of
Florida In particular at the last four
sessions of the legislature at which /
have met them, their active support
Of me now indicates that they regard
me as better friend of the pilots
than Cant. J. Ed. O'Brien is. Cap
tains Schools and Perry, who have
been the legislative committee repre-
senting the pilots in Tallahassee for
many years, have authorized me to
say thatSfhey. know that I have helped
them when they have had meritorious
measures before the legislature. No
man can say that / have ever aided
him I'm any measure that was against
the interests of the people of Florida.
have given the pilots fair treatment
in my newspapers and with the indu-
ence I was able TO exert as a citizen.
| hut my conduct to the pilots is not
different from my conduct to other
worthy citizens Of Fie si ai,u-
| In the editorial in Thursday paper
! the Evening News man says that 1
| fought w. A. Blount hard when he
was a candidate for United States
senator, and that in my weekly
| journal was published at the eleventh
hour Blount's former withdrawal
statement without date which beat
| him for United States senator. / did
| fight w. A. BTount hard when he was
a candidate for United States senator
and the people of Florida won the
! fight I made in their behalf. His
former letter OF withdrawal was pub
| lished in my paper without date. but
the editor of the News knows that
this was paid for political advertise
ment and that | had nothing to do
with the form which the advertise
ment took. nor the language contained
| IN It. He knows this because ! ex-
/ planned in two different editorials.
| Immediately after the advertisement
! referred to. the difference between my
own oniniens which appear solely on
nv editorial page, the disinterested
matter which appears in my news
| columns and the matter that appears
| IT nv advertisement Ct4AIliiS.
| What I had 10 say about Mr.. Blount
as a candidate for United States
senator appeared on my editorial page
! IT. the same issue, I was not re-
sponsible for the matter contained in
| the advertising columns OF this issue,
lust as no editor is responsible for
/ the matter appearing in his advertise
/ ing columns except that responsibility
which rests upon him TO see to it that
I. i not HbaisFJs nor scaudalols nor
How HE FOUGHT HIM.
/ I did all could with nay newspaper
to defeat Mr. Biount for United States
| senator. and the fight l made against
/ him was conducted without passion.
| was free from abuse, contained no
nlisstatemeats OF facts nor distortions
OF any OF Mr.. Blount's official acts Vor
private endeavoFs. / opposed him on
/ the sole ground that he had not de-
ivoted his days and nights to advance