The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-02-02
FRANK L. MAYES


ISOLATED Press dispatch came yester-
day announcing it, it sent a shock
to the heart of every newspaper man
In Florida that read it, and to those
who knew the Pensacola editor and
had been admitted to the circle of
his close personal friendship, the
brief sad story that came over the
wires carried a deep and poignant
sorrow. 1t seemed unbelievable. To
associate the CHASTITY, grewsome
thing called Death with the bright,
keen wholesome personality of
Frank Mayes was grotesque-out Of
the natural order of things-a
cruelty SO wanton that it was not
possible N IA world governed by a.
kindly Providence.
But the great A. P. makes no
mistakes in such matters. Frank
Mayes was dead, and it is doubtless
true that no death ever occurred in
the newspaper ranks of Florida that
brought more real grief and sense
of personal loss to larger number
of people in the same profession. His
was rare, fine character. He was
cast in a mould of almost unique ex-
celence, for, combined with personal
charm and social graces not often
met with, was strength Of fiber.
firmness and force of conviction and
keen appreciation of the practical
side of life and it's imperious duties
that made him a forefront figure in
his community as worker for the
common good and an inspiring ex-
ample to all around him.
Never very robust. his capacity
for work was marvellous, and he met
the daily duties and exactions re-
quired for the management Of the
big newspaper property he had
built up with quick decision and
quiet force that carried the business
forward with the smoothness of a
perfect machine in which there was
the maximum of efficiency with the
minimum Of friction. He was a
wonderful manager, and he made
the Journal people as one family,
bound by the ties of a common in
terest. No man in his employ ever
complained Of Frank Mayes, but he
would have good work or none, and,
while he was patient and forbear
Ing, and made large allowance for
natural limitations and infirmities,
the one who was persistently un-
worthy had to 60 and he left with
no grudge against the man who
fired" him.
He came to Pensacola a raw youth
from the great plains of South Da-
kota, and when he got there and de-
termined to locate permanently he
stripped himself bare of every ham.
pering prejudice and became a citi j..
zen of Florida in the broadcast tru
est, finest sense of the word. He
was a Floridian to the very core.
and in contemplating his many
sided character nothing is more i'm.
pressive than his splendid LOYALTY
to Florida and her people,. including
the old timers of another genera.
ton, his constant and earnest efforts
to aid in the development of the
state, to discourage all harsh or in
vidious criticism and to discover the
good in all men and all things.
His impress was upon every issue
Of the Journal. He dictated its pol
icies in all things. He kept his
mind open on all subjects. He alb
horred bigotry and intolerance as
he did the devil, and with it all he
was strong in decision of character
and lived true to his ideal that as
the editor and owner of prominent
and influential daily paper he must
swing it always on the side of right
NOT mere expediency--and make 1t
IN instrument for service and con-
structive work in every good cause
within its range. Under this in
SEPARATION he doubtless wrought
more for Pensacola and West Flor.
ida than any other one man of his
time, and in the things he has done
for the betterment Of his home city
and section along moral, educational
and material lines he has left an
enduring monument to himself and
a noble heritage to his wife and
children.
The people Of Pensacola honored
him as their chief citizen and they
knew always where to find him in
every issue between right and
wrong. He knew journalism as few
men do, and he was one of the
STRONGEST. clesrest and most con-
vincing writers on the State press
A leader from Frank Mayes went all
over the State. His mind was won
derfully quick and encompassiug and
II drove straight to the heart Of ev
cry question and was not to be. di y
kr~rted BY side issues or specious
erhiage. Intellectual honesty was,
=.