The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1916-11-02
CLOSING THE CAMPAIGN

The last days of the campaign are
upon u.s. The evidence is in, the ar
gument is being finished and the jury
will render it's verdict next Tuesday.
While it is impossible to predict the
result, indications are that Mr.. Wilson
will be reelected president. Weak and
Wavering as he has been in foreign
affairs, in domestic matters he has
made good president. His admins
tration is the first in many years that
has been untainted by any great scan
dal. He is the first president since
Cleveland to be absolutely independent
Of big business and special privilege,
and his devotion to the welfare of the
plain people is too obvious to be de-
pro-German element has angered
Americans and the great prosperity
of the country has convinced the
masses that he is a safe man to hold
the helm of state. There is but little
doubt among democrats of his re-elec-
ton, and the expressions of republi-
cans everywhere show forebodings of
defeat.
Even in reconstruction times, the
state of Florida never knew cam
paign SO bitter and nasty as this, and
no matter what it's result, decent men
will hail its closing with relief. The
indications at this writing are that
Cats will be elected. From the day
he became candidate, he has been
helped by the plumbers of his oppon-
ents. First, the state committee pass
ed resolutions regarding a certain
matter which it would have been bet
ter policy to let alone. Having passed
the resolutions, the committee should
have stuck to them, but a number of
the members became frightened and
at a second meeting made halfway
change that made matters worse in
stead of better. Then four prominent
democrats ran against Cats, dividing
the party strength, and not one of
them had the good sense or patriotism
to get out of the race. Knott undoubt-
edly had a majority of the first and
second choice votes and is honestly the
party nominee, but a considerable
number of good democrats made up
their minds as soon as the primary
was over that the first announced re-
suits should be accepted, and that it
was wrong to contest. BY what course
of reasoning they have arrived at this
conclusion, it is impossible to dis
cover, but they have done so, and the
result is in their hands. If there are
enough of them, added to his primary
supporters, to outvote the organized
democrats (and it looks like there
are), Cats will be elected.
There is not much doubt the second
district will return Frank Clark to
Congress. He is an able man, valua-
bic to his district, state and party, and
the people of his district would be
very silly if they did not return him in
place of either of his opponents.
In Marion county, for the first time
since the primary was adopted, there
is dissension in the party. Messrs.
Huber for assessor, Neville for clerk
and Adams for sheriff are running
against the regular nominees, Messrs.
Aver, Nugent and Galloway Messrs.
Huber and Neville are republicans,
and both expect the votes of dis
gruntled democrats Mr.. Adams is an
independent and is running on his per-
sonal popularity which is undoubtedly
considerable. They will all be defeat
ed, unless democratic voters break the
pledge they gave when they voted in
the primary to support the nominees.