The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-10-23
LOCAL POLITICAL NOTES
(By the Editor.)

We asked Mr.. J. E. Bussard to
j explain what was wrong with the
gas franchise, and he answers the
question by stating that the editor
of the Telegram attended Catholic
school, and that Pizarro took some
chickens with him when he went to
Peru. See his article which is
printed in today's Telegram.
Mr.. Bussard wants to know why
chise matter. The answer is simple
Mr. Bussard has been among tn e..
most active in insinuating that there
was something wrong about this
franchise matter, and leaving the
impression that the transaction took
place after he was no longer a mem
her of the board. But Mr.. Bussard
was one of the commissioners at that
time, and having voted for the fran
chise he seemed to us to be the prop
er person to tell the people what was
wrong, and why, if it was wrong, he
voted for it. His explanation is that
he didn't know what he voted for.
That is. he voted in favor of, and
was the first to sim, an important
matter of local legislation without
knowing anything about it. That's a
candid admission, anyway
Mr.. Bussard says that he and Mr..
Flanagan are only two of the com
missioners True-but Oscar Eaton
is only one. Therefore, why should
Nr. Bussard insinuate that Mr.. Ea-
ton is responsible for some myster-
ious peculation in connection with
ar action in which Bussard and all
the other commissioners Joined him?
There are only two horns to the d.
lemma Either there was absolutely
no wrong connected with the gas
franchise; or, Mr. Bussard was a
party to wrongful act, and a trait
or to the people who entrusted him
with their affairs. Which horn will
you take Mr. Bussard?
Of course, we all know that the
talk about the gas franchise is all
. political bOsh and buncOmbe; that
the granting of the franchise was a
rood days work for Lakeland, secur-
ing big new enterprise to the town
. and providing a great and valuable
convenience to the people. We wish
the commissioners could put some
thing over" like th'. at c"Nr" y 90.
. ing.
BY the way, ''cackling" is the spc
. c.alty of hens. Are you that kind OF
bird, Mr. Bussard?
There is no trick that a certain
small. desperate gang who started
out ito overthrow the city admins
: uation" will not resort to in thu
hope Of capturing vote for thoi
: candidates. The lowest, most COW
ardly and most contemplate proceed
e !, in politics is the attempt to brini
n religious prejudice into play agains
e candidate. The offense agains
5. Cccency Is aggravated when the ap
o peal to prejudice is wholly unbound
cd. 1T has been stated that Mr.. VIM
II Steitz, the candidate for ission
ii or from the Fourth ward. is a Cath
o Ole This is lie out of the Who'll
e cloth. Mr. Steitz is not a Catholic
e and has no Catholic Affiliations o
any fair minded Protestant gentle
y man Neither is Mr.. Steitz an Ell
rs has been stated. We consider tina
neither being Catholic or an Ell
$ would make Mr.. Steitz any the les
" the able and conscientious commits
sioner he will be if elected but
Just happens he is not allied wit
either of these organizations.
No bold. bad attorney is trying
" shut up the Lakeland Evening Tel
cram, nor do we have to take u
columns in trying to explain OF
financial affair. The reason for tn
~ is simplc: The Telegram is a bus
T Sc institution and not a polite
enc ~ pays its debts, which is
r
simple hut effective method of kee
al ing out of the bankrupt courts.