The De Soto County news. [volume] (Arcadia, Fla.) 1898-1924, 1916-08-03
yNoTT ISSUES STATEMENT
GBOUT THE GOVERNORSHIP
CONTEST.
Tallahassee. Fla, July 25. 1915.

Tallahassee, Fla, July %, 1916.
feel that my friends all over the
sta,e and the public generally are en-
,t,iod IN know what the situation IL
=, nresent in the contest for the gu.
hornatorial nomination, and also what
nv position is in regard to the charges
~ fraud made by my opponent, Mr..
cats, and which he has so widely cir
culated.
In previous statements l have at.
tempted to state clearly my reasons
Cor entering this contest and my reas.
ons for insisting that a correct and &c.
curate count Of the votes would show
that I was nominated by the demo-
cratic party at the late primary cleo.
zion for governor Of this state. / shall
attempt briefly to state the situation
ms il stands in each county where
votes have already been recounted.
Before going into these details,
however there are certain facts which
I do not wish the public to lose sight
Of.
Cats Instituted First Mandamus Suit.
In considering the whole situation
the fact must not he overlooked that
did not start the litigation in regard
TO the nomination.
As a matter Of fact, Mr.. Cats start
ed the first mandamus proceeding in
Alacaua county before the state can
yasslng board met. In addition to this,
Mr.. Cats and his counsel have been
on hand at every hearing before the
circuit courts and before the supreme
court. Mr.. Cats and his counsel very
promptly filed original proceedings
and undertook to get a writ Of prohibit
tlon from the supreme court to stay
the hand Of Judge simmons in order
ing a recount in Duval county. No
fair minded citizen would question the
integrity Of the courts, and they are
open TO Mr.. Cats as well as to myself,
and in seeking to claim my rights
through the aid of the courts, I am
doing nothing more than what every
other citizen Of this state has a per-
fe,t right to do. and what Mr.. Cats
himself has done.
Cats Benefited by First Corrections.
Besides Mr.. Cats action in the
court as mentioned, he also required
and had sent from Taylor county and
Columbia county amended returns
(which resulted in a net gain for him
Of 7SS votes) in order that the true
vote as cast in those counties might
go before the state canvaSsing board.
That IS the same sort Of action which
am now insisting upon with refer
ence to other places.
That mistakes were made, on the
first tabulation of the votes in every
county Of. the state has now been
clearly demonstrated All that l want,
and ell that I will claim any credit
for is an accurate tally and a correct
county, and in demanding this I he
lleye have the support Of all fair
ida.
1t Is difficult for me to understand
Why my opponent should so strenu-
ously resist a fair and accurate count
Of the ballots as marked by the elect
ors.
Alleged Fraud in Madison County.
So far as I have observed In the
statements and affldavits sent out by
Mr.. Cats, the attacks are directed
against the recount Of Greenvilla pre-
cinct and precinct No. @. If there has
been any tampering with The ballot
boxes in any precinct IN NHd's"n coun-
" 1t was without my knowledge or
consent. In order to prevent that sort
Of thing being done, I did, shortly af-
ter the primary, write to every county
In the state, requesting that the ballot
boxes be safely guarded. and also re-
quested the attorney general to wire