The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1915-09-17
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+ KNOCKING THE STATE OF
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For two or three months, the Tam
pa Times has been criticising the state
officials whom it persistently charges
with neglect of duty and other "high
crimes and misdemeanors." In the
opinion of the Times, they constitute
political ring which is utterly indlt-
ferent to the wishes or interest of the
people. They are professional politi-
clans who ought to be summarlly cast
out, because they have done nothing
and are doing nothing to protect the
people from robbery by taxation and
lbv dishonest officials of banks and in
surance companies. A stranger I'M
acquainted with our state officers, al
ter reading the Times for a FEW weeks
would conclude that they are "scur-
w lot" incompetent, grossly neglect
Iful of duty and probably dishonest.
Several times, in making these at
tacks, the Times has alluded by name
to the editor of The Herald as having
personal bias that blinds him to the
shortcomings of the members of the
present state administration.
The clamor of the Times has caused
several other newspapers of lesser
note to ioin in its hue and cry, and it
is, therefore, possible that some peo-
ple NAV begin to believe that our
Florida state officials are as remiss,
incompetent and corrupt as some of
the Alabama officials have been prov
ed to be.
We are unable to fathom the mo-
tives which have prompted the Tampa
Times to make this unjust warfare
upon a group of some Of the best men
in Florida. The Times may charge
The Herald editor with any motives 1t
pleases, but that will not establish the
righteousness of its course, which
seeks to discredit, if not disgrace our
entire state government. For the
Times, in its animadverversionS,
makes no exceptions, no reservations
or qualifications. According to it, ev-
erv official at Tallahassee, from the
governor down, is criminally remiss
in his duties. incompetent and unwor-
thy of the trust reposed in him.
Now let us see: There is Governor
Trammell; what has he as an official
should be adversely criticised? viii
the Times please be specific in its an
swer? The Herald is not support
inc the governor in his senatorial car
Gidacy. but it is candid enough to give
; him credit for having been good
governor.
What about H. Clay Crawford, sec
retarv of state? OF what meannesS
has he been guilty? His chief Of
fence. as far as we can see. is the
same as that of several of his official
associates, viz: he has been in office a
long time, so long that he has fortl-
ned himself in it to such an extent
that there is little chance of puttinG
, him out.
Acknowledgement West is serving
, his first term and. therefore, cannot
. Justly he charged with the offence OF
having held the Office too long, nor
with any other offence that we can
imagine. Indeed. some Of the news.
, papers have proposed that he he made
governor after Knots term IS out and
, nearly all of them have praised him
TO" his extraordinary efficiency.
Superintendent SheatS appears +
be doing his duty; at any rate, We
: have heard of no charges against him
though, through no fault Of mis-, an
incompetent teacher occasionally gets
"a place in q public school.
No man who knows him will dare
charge State Treasurer John c. Lun-
ing with either dishonesty or ilcom.
petence. The Herald editor has