The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1914-06-01
NEVER SEND A BOY
TO MILL WHEN YOU
=. CAN SEND A MAN

Tomorrow the people of this COM
munity and this county will register
their choice in the selection OF a
number of officials to serve them in
various positions of public trust. So
far as the candidates for county Of
fees are concerned, this paper has
no recommendations to make. These
candidates for the most part are well
known to the people, and the latter
have had sufficient opportunity to
Judge for themselves of the respec-
tive merits of the aspirants. I'm
less there are unusual reasons why a
candidate should be preferred or dis
approved the Evening Telegram does
not consider it the province of To-
cal newspaper to take pronounced
sides in these purely local contests.
1t contents itself with giving fair
deal to all, and letting the voter do
the rest.
With candidates asking for the
higher positions wherein the State
is represented in the national cOun-
sells, there is difference. These
candidates are not so well known to
the people locally; they reside else
where, and the voter must rely to
a certain extent upon second hand
information concerning them. In
these cases we are of the opinion
that it is the duty of newspaper
to counsel with it's readers and aid
them, if possible, in the selection of
the men who can best serve the COM
mon interests.
The most important matter before
the people is the selection of man
to represent them in the upper
branch Of the national legislative as
sembly. Two men are before the
people, asking for this exalted posi-
ton. One has been tried and found
not wanting. The other has had no
experience in national legislation.
One bases his request for retention
in his present position on brilliant
record of performance. The other
merely wants the job and bases his
claims to it on promises only-prom-
Uses which he may or may not have
the ability to carry out.
John N. G. Stockton is a peren-
NAL candidate. He has been before
the people of the State for many
years, continually asking them for
office Apparently, however, he does
not know how to do things. He has ,
never been able to secure his. cleo ,
ton to any Office of importance. He
is temperamentally unfit as a candi-
date, and the people by their votes |
have repeatedly evidenced the opin-
ion that this uniitness would follow |
him into other phases of public life, |
and prevent him from that measure
of usefulness which they have !,
right to expect from those they set
up ia high places.
Duncan U. Fletcher has never
asked the people of Florida for Of
flee except on one occasion. He con-
WINGED them of his fitness, managed
his campaign with splendid ability,
and was elected. Disregarding the
tradition that new members of the
Senate should sit in humility for
long time at the feet of their official
elders, he sprang at once into po-
sition of leadership, and by sheer
ability and force Of his intellectual
powers, has attained a position liz
that great body which reflects credit
upon the State of Florida and COM
mands for her the respect of her
sister States. lie has been honored
with appointments on the most i'm
portant committees; has a prominent
part in shaping the most vital legis-
lation; stands side by side with the
president in working for the policies j
the latter is trying to make effective. /
If the people of Florida should be |
unwise enough to retire him at this |
stage of his usefulness-even grant :
ing that his opponent is in all re-
spects his eQual--the least harm that
could result would be to set the State
of Florida back six years so far as
her representation in the Senate is
concerned We have confidence in
the judgment and good sense of the
people of Florida that they will not
reward Senator Fletcher's splendid
services by retiring him in favor of
a man who has never given any in
dication that he is possessed of any
of the requisites of constructive
craftsmanship.
In the congressional contest much
the same conditions obtain. On the
one hand we have y. 81 Sparkman,
a veteran legislator with twenty