The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1913-05-20
TUESDAY, MAY 20. 1913.
Col. Calhoun, of Tampa,
Progressive Democrat.

There are several candidates for ap-
pointment as collector of customs for
Florida under the Taft reorganization
act which goes into effect July 1. next.
Naturally all the news that West
florida gets of the situation consists
of the drippings that trinlle down from
the abode. Of the higher political powers
over in the eastern part of the state
and it is therefore impossible to tell
just how the land lies or what turn
the tide is likely to take in favor of
any particular candidate.
We note. however, that among the
candidates is Col j. d. Calhoun, of
Tampa, the veteran journalist who has
tha endorsement of Hon. William Jen-
nings Bryan for the appointment. We
also note that Colonel Calhoun is being
opposed on the ground that his politi-
cal faith is reactionary and that the
appointment should go to progressive.
The Journal does not want to be I'M
derstood as taking any hand in this
f1ght-at least not yet-nor would it be
understood in what it says here as en-
dorsing the candidacy of Colonel CAL
houn, but The Journal cannot remain
passive when so good a democrat as
this gallant old Confederate veteran is
assailed as a reactionary.
Colonel Calhoun is, we believe, ma
tive of Georgia. He served during the
war in the Confederate army. He was
editing a newspaper in Lincoln, Nebr.,
when Mr.. Bryan, then a young man,
began practicing law there. He pre-
scented Mr.. Bryan's name to the demo-
cratic party as a candidate for con-
Gress in the first Nebraska district,
then overwhelmingly republican. For
the first time in the history of Ne
braska, Mr. Bryan overthrow the poll
ticians and the republican majority
and was elected to congress. Mr..
Bryan endeavored to secure the ap-
master at Lincoln, but, contrary to all
precedent, which gives a congressman
the privilege of designating the post
master in his home town, President
Cleveland refused to appoint Colonel
Calhoun. A year or two later, Colonel
Calhoun came to Florida and, until
recently. he has been continually en-
gagged in newspaper work.
During all of this time. Colonel CAL
houn has been an insistent. able, and
vigorous champion of progressive de-
mocracy. In The Journals judgment,
he is today the ablest writer on that
side of the question which the daily
papers of Florida have possessed.
There may be reasons why some one
is more deserving of recognition than
Colonel Calhoun. There may be rea-
sons why some one else would make
a better collector of customs than he
There may be reasons why some other
equally as good a democrat should
have this important and highly salaried
office. There are plenty Of others just
as able and just as deserving.
But there is no reason why this man.
who has. for a generation at least, been
advocating the very policies which
have now become dominant in the
democratic party, should now be
classed as a reactionary simply be-
cause some one else wants the office
for which he is an aspirant
Colonel Calhoun is a progressive
democrat and, in that respect at least,
he is entitled to all Of the considera-
ton that any other progressive demo-
crat should receive
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