The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1917-01-08

those Iatnerlng the enterprise 10 the
extent of the amounts they sub
scribed, as soon as the incorpor-
alton could be completed. Therefore
while it is true, as Mr.. Youngs says,
that Mr.. Cox was mot a stockhold.
er," 1t was only because stock certi-
hcates had not been issued, and HE
WAS AN OWNER, ELSE THE
SWORN COURT RECORD is A
LIE.
There is no use squirming, or
clustering, or bluffing. We have the
goods. rs We always have when we
make a statement, and any citizen
may see at this Office a copy of the
court document referred to, in
which several reputable citizens, in
GLIDING E. H. Yonngs. Jr., swear
that John F. Cox was an owner of
the Morning Star at the time OF its
legal troubles, less than thirty days
after Mr.. Cox's strenuous work to
secure city printing for that paper.
The Evening Telegram has no
quarrel with Mr.. Cox. 1t has not
attacked" him, nor has it ever
been less than just to him. II has
drawn the mantle of charity over
certain phases of his career, and re-
fused to print matters his political
enemies insisted upon airing. 1t op-
posed his election for Mayor be-
cause it thought, and still thinks,
that better man was a candidate
for the place; but only a man of in
ffinitesimal caliber would hold that
against an individual or a newspa-
per. Since his election we have new
mentioned him except in a courteous
manner; we have withheld criticism
of him, and discouraged opposition
to him-Inot for his sake, it is true,
but in the interests of community
peace. We were going quietly along
attending to our own business, and
igiving him no cause for offense,
when he gratuitously butted in on
this city printing matter, declaring.
in a public statement, that If he had
voted he would have voted to keep
from us any part of the city's bust
ness. And that would have been all
right, had he acknowledged that his
opposition was on purely personal
and partisan grounds; but he claimed
that he was opposed to dividing the
city printing because such division
would be very disadvantageous to the
city. We thereupon ventured to ask
why the division plan was a gooo
thing when 1t appeared to serve his
personal interest in July, 1915, and
a bad thing at this time. He answers
with an outburst of temper, abuse,
and billingsgate, which reveals the
true character of the man ana his
fitness for the position he holds more
effectively than any comment we
could make. He says we are liar;
we do not say he is one-we SIM
ply place his present statement
against the sworn legal record, and
let the public decide who is the liar.
Mr.. Cox has perfect right to
start as many newspaper as he
likes. II, as City Commissioner, he
wishes to favor or trade with an In
stitution in which he has financial
interest, that is matter for his own
sense Of right and decency to decide.
But we are going to fight for our
lrights-fght fairly and honorably'
but unoompromisingly. The city
printing is not big thing to us
we could live without it; but the
matter of principle involved is big
thing-whether any man can pros
,titute his official position to foster
one institution to the detriment OF
another at the expense Of the tax
> Spayers-THAT is a big thing. Tna'
is the question at issue between MT
I Cox and the Evening Telegram; ane
: on our side 1t will be fought out, II