The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1914-09-04

/ Friends Of Frank L. Mayes. editor
/ Of The Pensacola Journal. who have
/ been asking him to make the race
/ for governor. will be disappointed to
! get his positive declaration that he
: will not be a candidate. The State
! would like 70 see Frank L. Mayes
I governor believe he could be elected
i and would make one Of the best chief
executives the state has ever had
I Col. Mayes. in writing a letter to
( his old friend, Judge c. 3. Parkhir
now living in Tampa, gives his rea-
! sons for not making the race as fol-
! lows:
! 80 had thought at one time II would
be possible for me to enter the race
/ AS the time draws near for the cam
| paign I see that IT will be impossible,
or at least inadvisabIe for me to do
so.
! My decision IN the matter has been
Influenced by three reasons, any one
OF which probably would be sufficient.
Those reasons, briefly stated, are as
follows:
''Ffrst-The campaign would cost
great deal OF money and take a great
deal of time which. from present in
dications. I will not have. In add
tjon to this expenditure of money and
tine, I would be compelled for the
time being at least. to sever absolutely
all connection with my personal bust
ness and as that business is intimately
connected with the bread and butter
question which always confronts US,
could not. in justice to my family,
make ii political race which might in
terFere with their future welfare
Second am not sure Of my quail
f1cdtlons to fill the Office creditably
even should I be fortunate enough to
be elected. In going over the history
OF the state and Of the men who have
filed official positions in it, 7 find that
almost without exception every man
who has been governor Of Florida. has
lad some special training which in
part least has helped to fit him for
the duties of the office. These men
have served as legislators, as members
of the governors cabinet, or in other
p .sitions that brought them into con
act with the work of the Office and
with the duties which 1t imposed.
Were / elected governor of Florida I
uuld 60 into Office handicapped by a.
lack Of any of this training and l
might not be able to discharge the OBJ
legations Of the position either salts
factoTiIy to myself or to the people.
Third So far as I can see at this
time, no great issue is likely to arise
wherein che good man could not serve
in the Office Of governor with efficiency
and credit equal to that of any other
good man. The result therefore Will
possibly hinge simply on the respec-
tive ersona lities of the men who be-
cove Candidates. and a campaign in
which there are no issues at stake out
side OF the atification of a personal
ambition to Re governor would hardly
appeal to re
These in short are sufficient rea-
sons to lead me to decide that, this
tiTne a least, l cannot and should not
enter the race When the mention of
my name in connection with the gov
e,nOrsEip was first made [ did not
treat the matter very seriously. Later,
hC viewer. I began to get letters from
over the state and calls from friends
who urged me to enter the race Many
OF these letters and many of the calls
were f'CIn gentlemen whom | had
ne, er pre- tousIy known and their
wishes in the matter. together with
the tenders Of support from my friends
whom I did know, led me to consider
the matter seriously. The Office of gov
ernor is a high position and the seri-
Gus mention of his name herewith is
a compliment to which no man can
be insensible or ppreciative. [
must confess to YOU that the serious
consideration of the subject brought
me visions of official life in Tauahas-
see. of the opportunity to serve our
people there. of the advantages which !
a residence at the capital would give
for the education Of my children. and
of the honor which would always be
theirs should their father become gov
ernor of the commonwealth. After
this. however, came the realization Of /
my own limitations on the one hand !