The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1916-11-07
YOUR DUTY AT THE POLLS.

YOUR DUTY AT THE POLLS.
You are called to the polls today to per-
form the most sacred duty of freedom; un-
less you approach that duty reverently, dis
passionately, and without prejudice, you
will be untrue to your trust.
Independents, prohibitionists, Socialists,
and Republicans can not be moved by any
considerations Of democracy; nor can those
tons. and without knowing what they were
doing, surrendered their liberty of thought
in an oath to support the arch-adept ofsthe
society; but to the democrats of Florida, the
issue is clear.
Knott is the nominee of the democratic
party. Cats is not the nominee of the dem
ocratic party, and never has been. There is
no such thing as the certificate of nomina-
ton which Cats claims to have. What
Cats does have, is letter written to him
by the secretary of state, at the request of
his attorney, which states that upon the
face of the returns Cats appeared to have
more votes than any of the other candidates
for governor. The only certificate possible
under the laws of Florida is that described
in section 81 of the Primary Law, which
provides that the secretary of state, not less
thap thirty days before the general election,
shall certify to the board of county COM
rnissioners of each county to the names OF
the nominees of the several political parties
In compliance with this Law, Mr.. Knott's
name has been certified as the nominee of
the democratic party for governor and Mr..
Knott is the only one who has been so GER
tilted.
Equally chimerical are Cats claims that
if he is not the democratic nominee he
ought to be. The recount was absolutely
fair; made in accordance with the law spe-
officially framed to correct mistakes and in
sure the popular rule When he saw that
Knott was d votes ahead, Cats, as last
resort, petitioned to have SO votes counted
in Alachua county and Ii in Dade county.
Whereupon Mr. Knott filed a counter petit
ton asking that if Cats petition be grant
ed additional votes for Knott be counted
also. This counter petition showed that
: Knott had 102 uncounted votes as follows
Walton, 5; Washington, 8; Clay, 3; Marion,
So; Palm Beach, 2; Lee, 10; Hillsboro, and
Alachua 16 The Supreme Court held that
if it granted one of the petitions it would
have to grant both, and to grant both would
not change the result and was therefore
useless; SO it refused both.
In order that the principles for which
our fathers fought, suffered and died
might be perpetuated, democrats, when
they participated in the primary assumed a
sacred pledge to support the nominee of
the party. Failing to render this allegiance,
they will lose their right to vote at the
next democratic election, for Section 43 of
the primary law says that anybody, if chal-
lenged at the polls, must take an oath to
the effect that he voted for no one not NOM
mated on the regular democratic ticket in
the last election; failing this, his ballot is
disqualified
If Cats had been true democrat
he would not have deserted his party to en-
roll himself as an independent before the
recount was decided
Cats is following no definite principles
unless maybe those of his secret organiza-
ton; he went into the primary intending tc
bolt, as he goes into the final election with
the avowed intention of melting revolution
if he is defeated and can fan the flames o.
bigotry into civil war!
Tb;c month IN fhe avac rs 4ba cl,;1d-a,,