The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1913-06-20
Dove OF PEACE
AGAIN LOWERING
Over Palatka Board Of Trade
MONDAY Nights Get To-
gether MeetiRq.


is due to the patriotic spirit of the
warning elements who placed Palat-
ka and its future prosperity above
; personal ambition, likes and dislikes
and feeling that "things must go
my way or they don't 60"
For sometime there has been a
growing sentiment antagnostic to Sec
retary Royster; he had, as some
thought, been too much possessed of
that 81 am the whole thing feeling;"
several matters of importance had
been decided by himself and Presi-
dent Davis that it was felt should
have been acted on first by COM
mittee and then by the whole board; |;
the expenses of the board were heav-
ler than the circumstances justified;
even the salary of the secretary was
out of all proportion to the ability of
the board to pay, and more than the
service was worth.
For two months the dissatisfaction
had been gathering force, and within
the week or two this has received sub
stantial impetus from the moral ques-
tions which have divided the town
principally that of Sunday observ-
ance. Mr.. Royster was a leading
spirit in the late Protective Associa-
tlon of business men who met on Mon
day of last week to protest and fight
the Law and Order League. The
board of trade is composed of both
elements in this division, and there
fore it is not strange that the secre-
tary should be loved by one side as
tiercely as he was hated by the other.
Monday night the gathering storm
broke. The hall was crowded to the
street and many outsiders blocked the
sidewalk to learn of the outcome of
the meeting.
AS soon as the minutes were read
and the regular order of business be-
gan some one called for roll call in
order that record might be had of
those in the room entitled to vote.
Then Charley Burt the well-known
Palatka Heights booster and lobbyist
got the floor and presented some 2F
or 30 new membership applications.
These Mr.. Burt and others had gath
cred up and brought with the appli-
cants to the meeting with the view of
voting them in the pending election
for secretary, but
Chas. H. Sieg was on his feet in
jiffy and made motion that the new
membership applications be acted on
at the next meeting. 1t was over this |
motion that test of the factions was
made. The vote was by roll call and
written ballot, each member as his |
name was called stepping forward and
depositing his ballot.
The leaders of the opposing fac
tons looked their interest in the re-
suit. Geo. B. Selden looked like a
corpse, so great was his interest; |
Harry Montmollin had his usual look
somewhat intensified; Mr. Ledbetter
sat with lips drawn and folded arms:
Judge Walton was nervous; Capt. |
John D. Points scowled; Chas. H. Sieg
looked like a scrapper; DR.. Purcell was
serious; Father Barry had a let -'er-
go-GaIligher look; Archdeacon Wyllie |
smiled and smoked; Sam Hilbun, dit |
to; Walter McNalley was apparently
undlsturbed. The votes in the count |
were called out by the tellers and
seemed close. The result was finally
announced as 81 for the motion and
~ against. The new members were
therefore not to be taken in for the |
purpose of deciding the election. Suf- |
trage was a privilege they must earn.
Bill Hicks made motion that w. B
RoySter be elected secretary for the
ensuing year at a salary of $780, |
that was withdrawn on protest and
subsequent motion that the board pro-
ceed to nominate and elect a secreta-
ry for the ensuing year at salary of
81, 800 was acted on. Mr.. Royster
was nominated and also Mr.. LANSING,
Then another roll call ballot was ta-
ken.
Same tense look o'erspread certain
countenances; perhaps more so.
Result was announced: ROyster SO:
Lansing A; blank 2.
Registers election was then made
unanimous.
Royster made lovely speech accept
ing place.
John Points who had looked mad
disproved his looks by making
speech which breathed harmony and
brotherly love and the patriotic Pa
latka spirit.
Geo. B. Selden called attention to
the causes of division and suggested
remedies, and he had the matters so
pat that all could see clearly one wav
to avoid future divisions.
Prof. Land told of the glories of
Royster and how he had been won to
his side and bound to him. He made
a pretty speech that was weighted
with harmony.
Colonel de Montmollin was mum.
Dave Benbow passed the seegars.
Howell Davis acknowledged the
corn when charged with the two men
power act, but said it was because of
non-action of committees charged
with responsibilities which he and
RoySter had had to assume or aban-
don.
Just then a big black cockroach
| flew in at the back door over TONY
Usina's head and the crowd mistel;
ing it for the Dove of Peace, ad-
jOurned.
The Palatka board of trade has
been tried and tested. 1t has been
down into the deep waters and has
come to the surface again, gaspe1 and
caught its second wind. 1t has been
in the throes of a division that ap-
peared to an outsider who saw it,
writings like a death struggle.
But DR.. Palatka Patriotism has
brought the patient out all right, and
purged. The patient viii be careful
how he sins again. He mas had the