The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1912-05-17
JUMPS ON THE News
For the Publication of Recent
Editorial
Declares He has Never AssaiIed
Party Leaders and Denies
Other Well Founded
Charges Against
Him.
Palatka, Fla, May 18th, 1912.

Palatka, Fla, May 18th, 1912.
Editor NEWS:
Yesterday was handed copy OF you
paper OF April Goth, the last paper you
sent TO the public before the first pri
mary, and just four days before that pri
mary was held. | was simply amazed
that you would at any time send out q
paper containing such an editorial as
you had under the caption "The District
Should Redeem Itself" Amazement
does not sufficiently describe the con.
dition of my mind when | saw that you
sent il out just four days before the pri-
mary and entirely too late for me to
answer. Will you accord me space TO
answer now?
You say you have attempted to be
fair" and in proof that you have been
you say that in my Palatka speech gave
public testimony that you had been. In
my Palatka speech separated the Palat-
ka papers from papers of the stripe of
the Miami Metropolis, The St. Lucie
Tribune, and Clay County Times, and
added that so far as knew the Palatka
papers had been decent and as fair as
could expect, but had not read every
issue of your paper and therefore did
not know everything you had said con
cerning me. If, however, you were
fair all during the campaign you Ger.
tainly put the balance on the other side
of the ledger in this editorial of yours.
| cannot ask you tor space enough 10
answer all of it, as my reply of necessity
would take full page of your paper
shall only ask permission to refer TO a
few of the most glaring inaccuracies and
miSStatementS.
In speaking of me you say: "He has
on various occasions not only voted
with the republicans, but he has bitterly
aSSiled the democratic leaders, and has
by these acts rendered himself at outs
with the party 10 such degree that he
has lost his party standing" 1t is utter
ly false that have con various occa-
sions voted with the republicans" and
| challenge you TO point out the "vari.
Gus occasions" when | "voted with the
When was first elected
to Congress ii was on my solemn pledge
that if the tariff should be revised dur
ing my term of service | would stand for
a duty on Florida products. Lumber is
a Florida product, and in company with
nearly all the Southern Democrats
voted TO retain the existing duty on
lumber. The statement that ! have
"bitterly aSsaied the Democratic lead
ers" and have 'lost his (my) party
is as unwarranted a statement
as ever was made. 1t is utterly untrue
that | have "aSSailed the democratic
leaders" and it is wholly false that |
have lost my party Standing" You
have the right to oppose me, but for the
sake of decency mix little truth in the
attacks now and then. Here is what
Champ Clark, the Speaker of the House,
says about me: 81 regard Hon. Frank
Clark of Florida, as an able, industrious
and vigilant member of the House. He
IS at all times busy in the discharge OF
his duties, especially busy and vigilant
in looking after the interests of Florida
and OF his Congressional district. He
is tip-top rough and tumble debater,
and his various tributes 10 Florida were
fine word pictures and exceedingly elo
quent."
Hon. Oscar w. Underwood, the
democratic floor leader and Florida's
choice for the presidency says: 81
have had the honor and pleasure of
serving for several years with Frank
Clark, and not only regard him as one
of the most eloquent members OF the
House, but also one of the most forceful
and thoroughly capable members.
Furthermore, he is very dilgentin look
ing after the interests of his people, and
his work is indeed effective He is a
credit to his constituents and our party"
Does this look like have lost my par
ty standing?" Read what the other
House leaders say of me in this same
issue of your paper.
Again you say have been in Con
gresS nearly eight years and have not
yet achieved the chairmanShip of
single committee" You use an argu-
ment like this and then you claim TO be
fair! You know that the House has
been republican ever since have been
in Congress until this session, and you
know further that no democrat has
ever been chairman OF committee in
republican house. You know that the
brilliant Bob Davis was there for eight
years and never achieved the chair
manship of a single committee" and
YET you have the fairness " to use this
against me. Every well informed man
in Florida knows why | am not chair
man OF the Committee on Merchant Ma
riue and Fisheries in the present House.
When the present House was organized
we took from the Speaker the power TO
appoint the Committees and imposed
this duty on the Committee on Ways
and Means. That Committee decided
that in choosing chairmen they would
be governed by the Seniority rule, that
is to say, the ranking democrat on each
should be chairman. |
was the ranking democrat on Merchant
Marine and Fisheries, and Mr.. Spark
man was the ranking democrat on Riv.
ers and Harbors. AS Florida only had
three members of the House the Ways
and Means Committee thought it would
not be fair 10 give Florida ~ chairman
ships, and they decided they would on
" give US one. They were debating
which one they would let US have.
felt that the Rivers and HarboTS Com.
mitlee was worth more 10 Florida than
any other three Committees would be,
and although | had an ambition TO be
Chairman, voluntarily buried my own
ambition and told the Committee TO
eliminate me and thus made MIR. Spark
mans selection absolutely sure. ! did
this for the, good of my State and her
people, but again let Mr. Underwood,
the great democratic leader speak for
me. When the appointments were an
Mr.. Underwood was inter
viewed and said:
"ln electing the various committee
chaiTmen il was found that the State OF
Florida with but three representatives
would be entitled under the seniority
rule to two chairmen, to-wit; MIR.