The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1913-11-08
PLEASED WITH THE PLAN

Almost everybody the Star has
consulted is pleased with the idea of
a white primary. Almost everybody
says it shouldn't have been put off
so long, but had better be started
will be forced on us is a year or so,
and it will save unpleasantness if we
organize it now.
The white primary is becoming
prevalent in all southern cities. 1t
is due not so much to the aggressive
ness of the negroes in politics as it
is to the disposition Of INSCRIPTIONS
white men to make use of the ne
groes. This brought about in not
few southern cities a state of affairs
almost as bad as those that existed
in the days of reconstruction.
A case in point was Jacksonville,
where politics became so unutterably
rotten twenty-five years ago that the
legislature had to take the control Of
public affairs almost entirely out of
the hands of the citizens. Jackson
Vile offices are now controlled by
the nominations of a white primary,
and the difference between the con-
duct of public affairs now and what
they were a quarter of a century
ago is greater than anyone not IA
miliar with both periods can possibly
imagine. Negro policemen ordering
white men around were everyday in
cidents, race riots were common,
state troops were ordered out more
than once, and the filthy condition of
the city was directly responsible for
the yellow fever epidemic in 1883.
In Ocala, the negroes have a ma
jority in two of the wards. AS the
Star has said, their best and wiset
men do not want any political agita-
ton. They realize that it is entirely
against the interests of their race as
we'll as that of the city. Unfortun-
ately, their best men do not always
control. The negro is emotional, and
lowing among them. 1t is a we'll
known fact that agitators were at
work among them not long ago. The
Outburst of Indignation caused by the
ugly events of last month scared
them into silence for awhile, but
they will certainly recOmmence
when they think it is safe to do so.
There is no reason why a white
man, or a sensible colored man.
should oppose a white primary 1t
will save a great deal of trouble for
both races, and attain by a short cut
| what will otherwise have to be reach
ed by a crooked and toilsome road
The best element OF the people Of
| Ocala do not intend 10 have negroes
| in office; neither do they want white
men who depend on negro votes TO
! override the will Of white citizens.
There is some discomfort among
members of the Young Mems Demo-
cratic Club, who feel that the later
| movement is intended to counteract
| anu SLIIOlIISi tLLSlI Wv II. L itS Cte14
thinks this is a mistake The white
primary movement is the same as
the club movement, only it is larger.
There is no reason why the club
| shouldn't go ahead and work with
the primary; in fact, number OF
its members have expressed their in
tention OF doing so. On the other
| hand, the Star thinks the people in
the primary movement should take
the club and its candidates into con
sheraton and cooperate with then
as far as possible. Its aims are pro,
gressive and praiseworthy, and The
interest its members take in polite:
is comHendable. They set a goo
example 10 a number Of the fossil:
who expect good government but are
too exclusive to work TO secure it.
Dr.. Charles McBurney, the noted
New York surgeon, died suddenly O
: heart disease at the home of his sis
ter in Brookline, Mass, Friday. DR.
McBurney, after a practice OF nearl!
forty years in New York, retired K
his country estate in Stockbridge