The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1913-03-04
Charter Campaign is
Brought to End With
Rally of Jones Men


CONTINUED from First Page1
the semnes committee charter, he
said, the people are asked to give up
their right to name their own officers
and promise to give them the recall.
initiative and referendum, but they
will not.
In the Semmes committee charter.
said he. it is provided that the clerk
of the circuit court has the right to
say whether the recall clause to pro-
tect your rights shall be effective and
then 1t is given to the three kings.
The signers of petition for q recall
must have voted in the election OF a
commissioner in order to vote in the
recall election, said Mr.. Reese. 1t Is i'm
possible he said, to put into effect the
clauses which the Semmes committee
charter promises to give the people for
turning over their right to say who
shall govern the city.
II the Semmes committee charter Is
adopted, said Mr.. Reese, it will be
years before the city will be turned
back to the people. There viii come
n time when the people viii see the
bond money spent TO buy waterfront
property for the municipal docks.
That. he said, is what is behind the
present move OF the Senmes commit
that the people will today throw this
back into the teeth of these men who
want to take their rights from them.
1t is the corporation element behind
the committee charter, he said, and
they want franchises.
Mr.. Reese referred to the afternoon
paper as two-by-four newspaper
when he said that it mentioned William
Jennings Bryan's name in connection
with him fayoring the commission
plan of government. but Mr. Reese
said Bryan would not approve Of the
SeTnmes committee charter. He also
said the Evening News used woodrow
Wilson's name in the same connection,
but he was certain that Wilson would
not approve the Semmes committee
charter. He said that II was strange
that the News mentioned wilson's name
as being a supporter of commission
government, because it was recently
telegraphing all over the country IN
an endeavor to prove that Wilson was
a liar.
Mr.. Reese said that Frank L. Mayes'
support in this matter was weak
kneed.
When J. j. Sullivan. who was chair
man of the meeting. introduced Jno. P.
Stokes he said that the people must
decide today between the dollar and a
man.
Before Mr.. Stokes began his address
he asked if Mr.. Semnes was present
and invited that gentleman to come up
close to or get upon the stand In order
TO correct him If he did not say things
correct There was no response to the
invitation. In inviting a representa-
tive of the Evening News to come
upon the stand. Mr.. stokes said he
rendered the invitation IN order that
the News might print the truth. There
was also no response to this invitation.
Mr.. Stokes said that even In the short
account of the meeting of the Repre-
sentative league held Saturday night
that paper was unable to print the
truth, because it said that Comp
trolier John G. Ward made a speech
MIR. Ward did not sreak at that meet
ing.
Mr. Stokes said that the afternoon
paper always misrepresented his atti-
tude on public matters and more so
since he exposed the BETRAYAL of n
representative OF this county in the
legislature recently.
He said that the paper asked him
on the eve of the election IL IL was
not a fact that he preferred the present
city charter. He said that he favored
a form OF government that gave all
selves. but could unhesitatingly say
that the Semmes charter was not that
kind OF charter.
Mr.. Stokes said that when the paper
asked him If he was not opposed to
commission government and voted
against it on December 30th, that
paper knew that he was cut of the
city and had left on advice of his ply
stefan.
In answer to another question why
he did not give the committee and the
citizens the benefit of his advice when
the Semmess charter was being dis
cussed and amended. instead of wait
ing until now. Mr.. Stokes said that
his advice would be Of no avail because
the people had adopted In mass meet
ing the Jones utility clause, but the
Semmes committee met and cut it out
the next day.
He said he had been asked in the
afternoon paper if it was not a fact
that he had notified the Semmes COM
mittee Cor the chairman) that he
would not pass any charter bin un-
less 1t was voted on as whole, there
by making it impossible for the voters
to express their choice on many vital