The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1914-09-01
PARK TRAMMELL TO sue.
CEED SENATOR BRYAN

VGCO OCNAxVn DIN AN
1t seems very probable at this
writing that Senator Bryan of this
State will be appointed to the fed
eral circuit judgship made vacant |
by the death of Judge Shelby Of
Alabama. All or most of the SEN
ators, regardless of party, have en-
dorsed him for the place, and with |
that kind of backing the president
is very likely to offer him the ap-
pointment. He will accept, of
course and that will at once make
it necessary for the people of Flor
ida to elect his successor in the SEN
ate.
The adoption of the constitutional
amendment providing for the elec-
ton of senators by the people in
stead of by the Legislature, has
abrogated the old rule which made
it the duty of the governor In case
like this to appoint a senator pro
TEN until his successor could be reg
ularly elected. Governor O'Neal
of Alabama tried that in the ap-
pointment Of Mr.. Clayton as the
successor of Senator Johnston, de-
censed, of that State, but the SEN
ate, after prolonged debate on the
IN I'd
ton, holding that successor to Sem
ator Johnston must be regularly
elected by the people and the gov
ernor had no power of appointment
in the case. This being true, in the
event of Senator Bryan's appoint
ment to the federal bench it will at
once devolve upon Governor Tram
nell to call an election for United
States senator and the people of
Florida will be faced by the highly
interesting question of who shall
that senator be.
There is such thing as sub-con-
sciousness in the masses of people
as we'll as in the particular individ-
ual, and the history of this country
furnishes many instances Of this
kind in which popular choice was
strongly foreshadowed long before
the event itself. We believe that
such q condition now exists in the
matter of this anticipated senator
ial succession and that a large ma
jority of the voters in Florida de-
sire and intend that Park Trammell
shall be the next senator elected
from this State. We are not in
formed of Governor Trammell's
wishes on this subject, but it has
been generally assumed for long
time that he would be a candidate
to succeed Senator Bryan and we do
not doubt that this is the case. The
Telegram believes that it voices the
wishes of large majority of the
people of South Florida and de-
cisive majority of the people of the
State generally where it expresses
the hope that Governor Trammell
will be candidate and that he will
be successful in the race should
there be race.
His steady rise in Florida politics
has been almost without precedent
and it has been the result of no
shallow, spectacular or meretri-
cious qualities appealing merely
to popular imagination or playing
shrewdly upon popular prejudice.
He has been tested, and tested thor
oughly, from small beginnings all
the way up, and he has made good
in every position of responsibility in
which he has been placed from a
small county Office to that of chief
executive of Florida. The man is
solid, dependable and capable, clean
as any public man alive, and, with
and unusually full acquaintance
with national as well as State af-
fairs. he would go to the Senate
with an equipment for his work
rarely found in new senator. The
people of Florida know him we'll
through years of devotion to their
service and they believe in him as
public servant not only trust
worthy on his moral side, but of
proved efficiency IN all he under
takes. Park Trammell is the man
to succeed Senator Bryan and we
don't hesitate to predict his success
in the event the election is called
If this senatorial election is called
1t will, Of course, only be to elect a
senator to fill out the remainder of
Senator Bryan's present term and
next year the regular primaries will
be held to nominate successor for