The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1913-04-13
IS WORKING TO
PASS MEASURE.
Says He Understands SEN
ator Finlayson Acted On
Request of Telephone
Company-Escambia SEN
ator Disposes of Charge
That He Is Acting In Bad
Faith.

Responding TO q teIegraphic request
from The Journal regarding a charge
OF bad faith in connection with the city
charter bill made against Senator Jno.
p. Stokes by the Pensacola News yes
terday afternoon, senator Stokes last
right wired The Journal a statement
which directly contradicts the CHARGE
made by the News. The News quoted
Senator Stokes as saying regarding tho
charter bill that He hoped 1t would Ia
defeated by the senate when il came
up" In answer to this charge, Sena
tor Stokes wired The Journal as fol-
lows:
Tallahassee, Fla, April l.. 1913.
Journal. Pensacola Fla.
I introduced charter bill yesterday
and caused 1t to be put on calendar
without reference to committee TO ex-
pedfte its passage. Today Senator
Finlayson asked me to agree that it
be referred to committee. which / re-
fused, because it would delay passage
of bill
Senator Finlayson moved in senate
that bin be committed SO that it could
be examined to ascertain if provisions
in it conhicted with state laws I
stated to the senate that l could not
agree to this. bpt had no objection to
bill being examined by any committee
or otherwise; that had opposed bill at
home and could not consent to delay
because it would put me in an embaT-
RAISING position at home; that person.
ally I did not care whether the bin
passed or was killed. but it had been
approved hy the voters Of Pensacola
and | wished it to pass without delay.
A vote was taken on the motion to
commit, which carried. I voted no"
Understand that telephone company
requested Senator Finlayson 10 have
bill committed.
JNO. p. STOKES
THE JOURNALS REQUEST.
'sThe above telegram came In re-
sponse to the following request by The
Journal:
Pensacola, Fla, April IL. 1913
Hon. John P. Stokes, Tallahassee, Fla.
Pensacola News today says, stokes
speaks against passage of the Pensa.-
cola charter bill and says he hopes it
will be voted down when it come up in
the senate" Paper quotes you as say
ing that the bill had been personally
objectionable to him (Stokes) at home
and was still Objectionable and that he
(Stokes) hoped it would be defeated
by the senate when it came up"
Please wire Immediately il this report
is correct and, if not correct, advise
what you did say.
JOURNAL.
THE CHARGE BY THE NEWS.
The report by the Pensacola News,
headlines included which contained
the charge of bad faith on the part OF
Senator Stokes was as follows:
STOKES SPEAKS AGAINST
PASSAGE OF PENSA-
COLA CHARTER BILL
Says He Hopes It wilR Be Voted
Down When II Comes up IN Senate
Stokes Creates Surprise Among Sen
ators When He Informs Them of
His Attitude to Charter
Objected to Referring
Bill to COMMITTEES
Told Pensacolians He Would Support
Commission Measure Vigorously
II People Adopted It.
Tallahassee, Florida, Saturday.-AI-
though the people Of his city had voted,
by a large majority, for the bin, Sem
ator John P. Stokes, Of Escambia.
today showed his true colors
and opposed. the. commission govern-
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