The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1912-04-24

WE Shall Represent Us In Congresss
OF greater interest and more inn
portance than the presidential prefer
ence are the questions, who shall rep
resent the First Florida District and
the state at large In the national
House Of Representatives
For the last seventeen years. Mr.. s.
II. Spsrkman has represented the dis
frict- He has so conducted himself In
that time that he has won high place
ia national councils place that
means much honor and hard work to
htm-a place that means honor and
substantial advantage to his district,
his state and his section The chair
manship Of the rivers and harbors
committee IS the leading position in
one OF the great works OF the govern
ment. The man who holds 1t pos
sesses more real influence than a cab
met officer. Congress OF late years in
conducting the government has had a
trend away from politics and spoils
toward business efficiency. This has
been nowhere more greatly exemplified
than In the rivers and harbors work.
where operations of real advantage to
the country have been scientifically
planned and are being honestly car
ried out. Mr.. Sparkman has been on
this committee for years. He is thor
oughly familiar with its plans and his
faithful attention to them has been re-
warded with the craftsmanship. II we
do not return him to Congress, we lose
the power and the prestige that he has
won for his district and state. This
alone is enough reason for his re-
election. Sense and sentiment both
protest against his defeat. Florida
with its immense stretch of coast line
and numerous harbors needs govern
ment aid in this respect more than any
other state. We will be foolishly blind
to our own interests IL we throw
away the advantage that Mr.. Spark
mans Craftsmanship gives us.
There is much of genuine patriotism
in Mr.. Sparkman's fight for reelection
He does not need the salary and man
who has been in Congress for seven
teen years becomes somewhat burden
ed with the honor. But Mr.. Sparkman
has a deep interest in his work. has
made his plans and desires to carry
them to a conclusion. Perhaps a sell
fish politician. or small calibered
man. dazed with the seeming import
ance OF congressman's office. cannot
understand this interest But any
man who puts his spirit in his work,
no matter whether that work be large
or small. can understand. Year after
year. Mr. Sparkman has looked out
over Tampa Bay. from the time when
only the schooners and little steamers
could come up to the piers of his home
city, to now when the great liners
dock almost every day after steaming
thru the channel that he has done more
than any other man to secure. In les
ser measure, he has aided in proper
ton to improve every navigable river
and harbor in the state. He has Sc
cured nearly fourteen million dollars
for this work. What man has done
more?
While the Improvement of our sea-
ports helps inlanders almost as much
as those who dwell on the coasts, Mr..
Sparkman has not neglected the inter-
Tor. great deal of the river and har-
Dor funds have gone for the improve
ment OF inland waterways: our own
Oklawaha receiving it's share. How
faithfully he worked for our public
building. Ocala people should not for
get. That it is as large and imposing,
and stands on an entire block instead
OF holf a one, is greatly due to his pa
thence and hard work. Not only in
great matters but little ones he has
been faithful, taking great pains in
many small affairs. notably pension
bills. for his constituents. It is urged
against Mr.. Sparkman that he is a cor
poration lawyer. He has never work
ed any harder for corporation that
could pay him in thousands than he
has to secure deserved pension for
-
q cent.
The Star has not time and space to
take up and combat all the reasons his
opponent brings up why Mr.. Sparkman
should not be reelected. It is not that
they are too many. but most of them
are too trivial 1t is an undoubted
fact that Mr.. Sparkman has made
some mistakes. done some things he
should not have done. and left undone
some things that he should have done.
Compared with other congressman, his
record Is good. We may all seriously
doubt that Mr.. Phillips would have
done any better. We may even be ex-
cusable for thinking he might posi-
bly, have done worse.
The cry of corporation lawyer is
somewhat overworked- 1t Is impossi-
BILE to do business without corpora
lions. and some of the smallest are the
most dishonest. There is not lawyer
in the state who does not work for
and we have seen nothing
to cause us to believe that Mr.. Spark
man ever neglected his public to serve
one One thing is certain. and that fs
that a big corporation never employs
a small lawyer.
Mr.. Sparkman Is no more a corpora
ton lawyer today than he was few
years ago, when Mr.. Phillips was sup
porting him against Robert McNamee.
why should Mr. Phillips excuse and
support in him then what he con-
dennis in him now?
Let US not give up our great ma
tional advantage and dismiss faith
fua servant, who confers honor and
benefit upon us. because
mother man wants his place. tho 1T
win be impossible for him for years,
II ever, to fill 1t so well.
re Conxressman at Large
Its the stars opinion that Claude
LEngle is the man who deserves most
the honor of representing Florida as
at large. Mr.. L. Engie
has proven himself man OF bright
talent and high principle. and he has
taken high position in public AFFAIRS
and maintained ii at great sacrfhce
and some personal danger. The Star
has never known any journalist. to
stand up more bravely and brilliantly
Tor what ne believed to be right, or
give better reason for the faith that
was in him. Sensationalists and muck
rakers there are in plenty. but Claude
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