The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1916-11-04
A DISCUSSION
AND CONCEPTION
OF PARTY LOYALTY

dressed to editor of the Star in dis
cussing a pending political principle
that of party loyalty-has drawn from
you a rather personal comparison of
the depth of our respective loyalty to
the democratic party and its nomi- |
nees. That is not the issue that |
sought to discuss with the editor of |
the Star. AS compared with the prin- |
ciple involved, the question of our
respective opinions and acts is a small |
matter and hardly worth discussion |
before the party or the public, and
while you seem inclined to make the |
discussion one of personalities and not
of principles and thereby dodge the
issue, "Are you and your fellow dem
ocratic nominees loyal to the straight
democratic ticket" / am willing that
the public should be informed, should
compare and then draw their own con-
cIusions as to the depth of our loyalty
to the straight democratic ticket and
to the democratic party.
Myself and other democratic voters
have been endeavoring to ascertain
| just where you and the other demo-
cratic nominees stood upon this
question and, without personalities,
they are matters that we as demo-
Gratis have the right to ask you and
know of you and your fellow demo-
cratic nominees, as our democratic
nominees, and we are glad to have you
publicly state that on November 7th
you expect to vote the straight demo-
cratic ticket from Woodrow Wilson
down, which of course includes w. "
Knott and ]. P. Galloway, straight
democratic nominees for governor and
sheriff respectively, but we regret
that it was necessary for one of us to
have to resort to public newspaper
discussion and controversy to get
from you, a democratic nominee, this
information
Now let US compare the depth of our
party loyalty. [ was a participant in
the recent democratic primary, both
as candidate and as voter and by
participating in that primary l i'm
riiedly gave to my fellow candidates
and to my fellow democrats my
solemn promise that would abide the
result of that party primary as estab-
lished by the lawful constituted au-
thorities of our party and of our state
the state democratic executive COM
nnittee and the courts of the state of
Florida; that | would support all dem
ocratic nominees loyal to the straight
democratic ticket and that on Nov. T,
without scratching or boiling, would
vote for all democratic nominees, re-
serving unto myself only that inner
ent right of every man to withhold his
vote from any nominee of his party,
whom the elector is honestly convinced
is disloyal to the straight party ticket
OF to any of his fellow nominees.
That constitutes my obligation to the
democratic party, and it bears espe-
cially upon me-and should bear espe-
cially upon you-both of whom have
been more than once honored by the
gift of public office at the hands of the
democratic party!
Since the primary in June, have
been actively at work to secure the
election of the straight democratic
ticket, including W. " Knott for gov
ernor and j. P. Galloway for sheriff,
and where / have come in contact
with my fellow democrats who are or
were intending to bolt the democratic
party and vote for candidates other
than the straight democratic ticket, I
have endeavored in my feeble way to
get them to see the error of their
judgment and to remain steadfast and
loyal to the democratic uarty and it's
straight ticket. have refrained from
contributing to any independents
lelection-either by contributing mon
ey or rendering him any other assist
ance or encouragement. That is my
conception of loyal democrati What
is yours?
The state executive committee of
the democratic party has called upon
all democratic nominees throughout
the state to rally to the election of the
straight democratic ticket, by giving
unto that ticket in full your active
support and assistance as well as your
vote on November 7th. What have
you or any of your fellow democratic
nominees done to contribute to that
end? | have been about much lately
and if one of you have lifted up your
voice to the assistance of any of your
fellow democratic nominees who have
opposition and stand in danger of de-
feat, have failed to hear it or its |
echo or even a rumor of it. On the
other hand fellow democrat must be |
drawn into a distasteful newspaper
controversy in order to drag this in
formation from our nominees to their
fellow democrats. This is not my con-
ception of a loyal democrat.
hold that Sidney J. Cats and |
Frank Adams are boilers of the dem
ocratic party and not entitled to the
support of any loyal democrat. Do
you so hold? have not contributed to /
their election on November 7th, by
contributions of money, words or by
my silence Have YOU contributed to /