The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1912-07-29
.NATIONAL PROGREssIyEs,
CONTINUED from First Page)


Altho few in number, the delegates
to the progressive" convention arous-
ed much interest in Ocala, and a
kindly expressed interest at that.
The small size Of the gathering.
however. caused the Importance of the
occasion to be underestimate, and
good many jokes to be cracked at its
expense.
That the movement Is not trivial is
amply proven by the fact that Herbert
l. Anderson is the most prominent
leader. Ocala knows Herb" Ander-
son too we'll to suppose that he does
anything without good reason. There
Is no longer-headed man in the state.
and that he is on the wrong side or
the political fence is the only reason
that he does not today hold high Of
nce. Not only has he been a repub-
lican in a southern state, but he has
been too Independent to bow to the
dictates of the machine.
The Star Is not in the confidence of
Mr. Anderson and the other progress
sives. but this is probably their plan.
Everybody believes that the national
republican party will be beaten this
fall and hardly anybody believes that
the "progressives" will win. However.
the progressives will be the leaders of
a renovated party in 1916. 1t will
make a much better showing in the
South than the old gang, and in case
of party success will obtain federal
patronage. Whether there be much
to this or not, it suits better the dis
position OF an independent and cour-
ageous man than following the latter
ed banners OF the old guard to pre-
destined defeat.
Saturday Afternoons Session
When the convention reassembled
Saturday, at p. m, there were just
rs men present, over half of whom
were citizens of Ocala who had been
invited by Secretary Williams and
other members of the convention to be
present.
The threatened interruption by the
colored contingent did not occur. A
small bunch Of negroes gathered near
the door, but the presence of Sheriff
Galloway and two of his deputies
Marshal Carter and Fire Chief Cham
bers proved irresistible argument
for peace. One Afro American came In
the vestibule and began to shoot of
his mouth, but Chief Chambers threw
him into the street, and that ended
the insurrection.
The progressives claim that thi!
movement was entirely uncalled fol
and a breach of faith; that the negroe!
had their convention in st. Augustine
and that 1t was fully understood tina
the Ocala gathering was entirely fol
whites.
DR.. Dodge opened the meeting by in
voking the divine blessing the
business to be done and the men who
were to do 1t, after which Mr.. III. L
Anderson. late OF Ocala, but now o.
Jacksonville, was elected temporary
chairman. After thanking the au
dience for the unexpected honor con
ferred on him, Mr.. Anderson made al
address, a synopsis of which appear
at the beginning of this article
The chair then appointed H. L
Church OF Duval county, w. c. Hodge,
OF Tallahassee, Benson of Gainesville
Knowles of Key West and G. II. judo
OF Bradentown, a committee on reso
lutions.
H. c. Groves of Ocala made n motion
that all who had been appointed dele
gates to this convention be seatet
without regard to color. The chat
very promptly ruled the motion out o
order.
of Key West and w. C. Hodges of Tai
lahassee, were appointed a COMMITTEE
on permanent organization. Meetin!
adjourned to meet at p. m.
Evening Session
At the night meeting there were
few more men in attendance than a
the afternoon sessions, but at no tim
were there 100 people present in tn
audience. A good deal of the time a
this meeting was given up to routin
business; the reports of committees
election of permanent officers, reading
platform, ETC., and tho there was
couple Of stirring speeches. yet at n,
time was there much more enthusiasm
displayed than would be found in
church love feast: in fact, some on
said 1t was the most harmonious con
vention ever held since Noah conven
ed the animals into the ark
Permanent organization was accom-
plished by electing NJ. G. Gibbons o
Tampa chairman and D. S. Williams
Ocala, secretary.
In thanking the delegates for tn
confidence imposed in him. the chair
man made a brief but forceful address
He said that he had often been Gale
on to preside over conventions in thi
state but this was the first time tina
he had had the honor OF presiding
over a purely white meeting: that al
other political conventions he had at
tended had been mixed white and ne
groes, but in the progressive part
they had been called together to inau
gurate there would be none of the ne
gro element in attendance. That tn
republican party in Florida since Y
or &c had been entirely dominated b.
the negro and at the head of that ele
ment stood a negro whom he demon
mated a renegade. This. said tn
speaker had made it mighty hard 70
Florida Twenty years ago the dem
the affairs of the state-they ha
pledged themselves to lead the peopl
TO a promised land even as Moses lie
the children OF Israel, but today afte
the lapse of nearly a quarter of a cen
fury. the people were just as far fror
that land of promise as ever: take
have been more than doubled and no
a single monument in the whole stat
to account for the increase. 1.-The dem
ocrats say that IL we don't vote thei
ticket the negroes will soon get entir
control In the state. but the progress
sive party for which we stand toda
will have none OF it,"
A full ticket was then nominate
for all the state and national offices
including presidential electors. an
delegates to the convention to b
hall IT,. tt,f : Tha nhli