The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1912-06-03
)L. 49, OCALA, FLORIDA, MONDAY, JUNE 5, 1912.
MEN AND NOT MONEY
Are Sending L'EngIe to Congress, and
He VIII Try to DO His Duty by
All Men

I am going TO Washington as Flor
ida's first congressman large. l am
going without any strings tied to me- I
will be free to represent all the people
of Florida all the time-every day, ev-
cry hour. every minute of my stay in
WASHING gton-becauS during no day. in
no hour nor minute since | first began
my campaign leading up to my election.
has some particular person, crowd or
interest done more for me than all who
were for me have done
Not only will | be free from obliga-
ton to repay any special favor done by
any particular person or interest, but l
will also be free from obligation to
any particular faction. My entry into
the race for congressman-at at-large was
the result of no conference of friends,
no caucus of factional leaders. I ex-
ercised the right given to every free
American to ask the people for what he
wants. and l appeal to the whole peo-
pie of Florida for support.
Although my election to Congress
will be consummated by means of the
political organization known as the
democratic party, and although | will
owe and will be glad to give allegiance
to the democratic party in all things
that concern party principles, l Will
none the less truly represent all the
people of all other political parties in
Florida in all matters touching on the
welfare of the people of this state and
of this country.
No man can win in an election in
which the people of the entire state
participate by own efforts alone. 1
knew that l was weak, but I had that
confidence that inspires him who be
lieves his cause to be just, that the God
of battles would raise up friends to
fight my battle for me. l did the best
l could to help myself but it was the
work of the loyal, devoted friends in
every county in the state. in every city.
in every village, in every hamlet, in ev
cry community that brought the vic
tory to me.
Oh. it is we'll to win a good fight for
a great and glorious stake! 1t is sweet
to eat the fruits the world is always
ready to bring to him who can write
the word success" after long. con-
tinued striving; but it is better far and
sweeter still to stand on the heights
and look back over the long. barren.
stony, hot and dusty road over which
one I6SI mas IEdNtltu anu 1OohlllS
truth Squarely in the face, be able to
say that not one person who helped
your weary feet along the pathway and
by whose hands you were pushed up
to the pinnacle called success. did so
from any other motive than that which
inspires people to do kind deeds and to
perform good works without reward in
hand or in promise.
This is the cup that | now drink to
the people Of Florida in deep and
humble gratitude to my friends who
have done this thing for me, and |
promise all of these friends that they
shall be rewarded; for, they shall see
that | will remember that this great of
flee belongs to all of the people Of
Florida, and | shall so administer the
trust imposed by them in me. that no
one of these friends who helped me, no
one of those who did not. shall be able
to say that l have for one moment for
gotten my duty to so represent the peo-
pie that every man shall have an equal
chance before the law, as l in my
representative capacity shall help
make it.
Throughout this campaign | have
said that there is but one issue at this
time in this republic. This issue is
special privilege. Giving one man or
set of men more opportunity under the