The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1914-05-29
BELIEVES STOCKTON'S MUD.
oLlNGlNG WILL BE HIS UND0ING

Editor Telegram: l have bear(
speeches. by Bob Toobs, Alexander
stevens, Ben Hill, Tom Reed David
= hlll' Henry W. Grady, ct AL. and
was wondering the other night
wat they would think of the
speeches. offered us by our senatorial
candidates to displace sparkman and
ieIcher 1t would be a reflection
upon the intelligence of our county
anu state to even permit a close vote
upon the issues now involved.
II Is easy to size up these men to
ascertain which would best serve rs
III national legislation. Of course
We ADMIT that the opposition to
rIetcher and Sparkman are good
men Whom we very much like. but
Is not a matter of personal feeling
III ms race for the highest honors
= our nation, 1t is matter Of
business and principle and serious
ness OF such a nature as to force us
y discard personal affiliations and
o'e TOT the men who can best serve
Us IN guiding the old ship of State
through the breakers that now
threaten us.
We need good tried and true men
III our national halls and believe
we nave them in our present incum-
DENTS In crossing the stream of our
Present political disturbance we need
no swapping of horses Just now. es-
peclally with those unaccustomed 70
the saddle or harness.
Mr. stockton for many wears has
peen willing and anxious to wear
the harness, but every time he has
been hitched up he has made breaks
ana kicked ont of the traces, as he
uld mere in Lakeland when he de-
hounced everybody and everything
mat was not supporting him, even
ne ana not spare the newspapers, and
Went for our Lakeland paper, which
mas always striyen SO hard for the
eeEeIoNment and upbuilding of our
rapidly growing little city Our
newspaper has, or should be a source
OF pride to us, as it has always adj
Iocated truth righteousness and a
progressive spirit.
We point with pride to its fine |
new building and unsurpassed print
ing plant, and the rapid development
OF our thriving city, partly through
It's untiring eXertions, as a measure
Of its success. 1t has risen Phoenix
ilkefrom its ashes to its present mag
nlfieent abode; and yet Mr.. Stock
ION would have you turn your back
Upon all the Just and progressive
.hlngS your paper has advocated |
simply because that paper has man
mess enough tC come out for what
S right and what is best, burt does
lot endorse Mr.. stockton.
Has Mr., Stockton displayed any
wisdom, or his fitness for the. sena-
orial toga in attacking the news
'apers of the State simply because
hey disagree with him? Did he show
Lny wisdom in arraignment of Mr..
and in making inuendo as
0 the sincerity of Mr.. Fletcher
low is it Mr.. Stockton knows how
1any times Mr.. Fletcher visited
tapoleon Bonaparte's tomb? He
gould make you believe that Fetch
r took $4,000 out of the national :
teasury and lavshed it upon him
elf and committee to tour Europe :
nd have a good time generally :
hen in fact Mr.. Fletcher was ap- !
ointcd one of the committee to in
ostigatc the rural credit system in r
urope by Mr.. Wilson which he per
,rmed to the best of his ability, and
@ has framed a rural credit bill
hich President Wilson approves of 4
nd which will eventually pass and I
,leye our farming and laboring
asses and enable them to borrow :;
oney on long time at reduced rates ::
7 venture the assertion that had
r stockton been in the Senate he
ould have never been one CT that
mmittee, no matter how much he
Ivocated Woodrow Wilson's cleo
On
And now comes the bull story. Mr..