The Palatka news and advertiser., 1916-12-08
IN MEMORY OF
FRANK L. MAYES.

FRANK L. MAYES.
In looking over some neWspap'
clippings today the editor came u
on a gem credited to Frank L. Maye
late editor of the Pensacola Journa
who has passed on. 1t is entitle
"The Boy and the Man." and depic'
at home little baby boy in bed, a.
lcep. This little fellow is then trace
in a vision through his growing yea1
to Young manhood, when ne leave
the protection of his fathers roof an
goes out to fight the battle of lif
alone. when he does that" say
tie beautiful word picture,
He will meet with foes he nev-
er dreamed of before. He will
find conditions he never knew eX-
listed. He will see inequality and
injustice and human suffering
wraught of avarce and vice. He
will see man-traps and hell-holes
and gilded vestibules of crime eX-
isting under the cloak Of respec-
liability and the protection OF the
law. He will see the strong OPP
pressing the weak and he will
hear the cry of the defenseless
before the grinding wheels of priv
ilege and power. He will face
conditions which breed poverty
and misery and awful want and
he will find enemies both in am
bush and in the open, ready to
drag him down in the remorseless
vortex of eternal conflict.
When he sees these conditions
as he will see them because there
will be evils to combat then as
we'll as now-I want him to know
two things. l want him to know
first, that his father was not re-
ponsible for those conditions;
that his father did what he could
to prevent them and to correct
them; that his father was inter-
ested in making life happier, liv-
ing easier, and the world better.
And | want him to know, second,
that his father did what he could
to fit his boy for the battle of
life.
Nothing in the voluminous writ
ings of this prince of newspaper mel
more clearly portrays his characte
and ambition. Without being class
ed as reformer, he took advanced
ground on all moral questions ant
questions affecting the rights of tn
people under a democratic form o
government. Newspaper men O
Florida do not need to be reminded
of the deep sorrow that oppressed
them when the telegraph flashed tn,
sad news that his spirit had takel
flight.
Mr.. Mayes was in the full vigo,
of splendid manhood when the sum
mons came. He was born December
10th, 1878, and had he lived unit
now would have just been rounding
out his 43d year. With his splendiC
though brief record of achievement
who can meausre the greatness anc
glory that would have been his, or es'
innate his influence for the worlds
betterment had his life been spared ?
As we can not trace the benefits
bestowed by a spring whose waters
quicken the parched earth and give
verdure to the desert, so we cannot
follow the influences that go out from
the inspiring touch of a life that
overfows with kindness and helpful.
service. The influence for good OF
the life of Frank L. Mayes will con-
tinue through succeeding generations
The astronomer can tell US how fa1
it is from a star to the earth, or may
calculate in a measure chow one star
ditfereth from another star in glory
but no human being can estimate
the effect on future generations Of a
life dedicated to noble purpose.
December 10th will be the anniver-
sGry of the birth of Frank L. Mayes.
What more fitting than that Florida
newspapers-especially those embrac-
ed within the Florida Press A8socia-
ton, Of which our departed friend and
brother was a former president
should set it apart as a Mayes Memo
rial Day in Florida?
The gracious influence Of the life OF
Mr. Mayes remains with most of us
treasured in that invisible storage
battery, the memory, and from which
We may constantly draw to illuminc
the dark places and from which we
may seek inspiration for future effort
His death has but given US a clearer
view of the noble qualities that ell
deared him to JUS.