The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1918-06-01
NEXT WEEKS ELECTION

1t may be necessary to remind our
readers that a primary election is to
be held in Florida next Tuesday, for
some have evidently forgotten, and
many more are unconcerned, about it.
1t is just as well that there are no
prominent issues up before the peo-
pie of Florida this year. AS the re-
suit Of the campaign of two years ago,
the democratic party is pretty well
smashed up. The primary no longer
binds anyone except the old-fashioned
chumps who have been silly enough to
retain something like a political con-
science. Men who broke the primary
rules two years ago, are privileged to
vote this year, and if they again see
fit to defy the verdict of the primary,
there is no power to call them to ac-
count. Or if there was power, there
would be no one authorized to exer-
else it. Until the democrats of the
state shall get together, elect repre-
sentatives and hold convention, to
frame a party platform and decide
who is a democrat and who isn't, the
party in Florida is as much of an
anomaly as the beast with seven
heads and ten horns.
However, we will hold primary
next Tuesday, and in this county at
least it's recommendations will be car
ried out. We are glad to say Marion
has kept the faith and can look the
political future in the face without
blushing.
We shall not try to sway peoples
opinions. To the best of our knowl-
edge, the minds of the voters are
made up. What we could say for our
friends has been said, and we don't
know anything against their oppon-
ents that should cause us to illuminate
against them at this late day
The most important office we have
to vote on is that of congressman.
The race is between our present rep
resentative, Mr.. Frank Clark, and Mr..
Chas. e. Davis, president of the state
senate. There is little doubt that our
county will give Mr.. Clark a good
majority.
Next to the congressional candi-
dates are two aspirants for seat on
the supreme bench. One is Judge
Whitfield, the other R. H. Buford, a
prominent lawyer of West Florida.
Both are good men. We think Judge
Whitfeld'S experience and ripened
wisdom entitled him to reelection.
The candidates for attorney general
are Van C. Swearingen, who now
holds the office by virtue of the gov
ernor's appointment, and Cromwell
Gibbons. Van Swearingen is self
made, honest and intelligent man, who
has made some brave fights for the
plain people. We have no fault to find
with him except that in the last cam
paign he affiliated himself with that
intoleraut and fanatical organization,
the guardians of liberty. Mr.. Gibbons
is also a self-made man. We were a
personal witness of some of his strug-
giles to make his way in his young
manhood, and can testify that he
worked as hard and to as good pur-
pose as any, Mr.. Gibbons is a man of
big, broad views and with many of
the elements of the real statesman. If
he is elected, he viii be an attorney
general that Florida can be proud of.
1t must be said that we are lucky this
year in having the conflict for this
Office confined to two such men.
The candidates for state auditor are
J. VIII Yon, candidate for reelection,
and J. H. Lancaster of Barlow. Both
good men, and the only difference we
know is that Mr.. Yon, if he faithfully
serves his first term, is entitled to a
second, in accordance with democratic
usage.
The next bunch of candidates are
those running for places on the state
tax commission, an utterly useless
body, which the next legislature will
probably abolish. The candidates are
p. S. Bowen, J. Clifford Brown, Cade
e. Shackelford, Harry L. Bethel and
w. M. Holloway. So far as we know,
Mr.. Holloway is the only man in the
crowd competent to perform the du-
ties Of a tax commissioner.
Geo. w. Scofeld and Fred L. Strln-
ger are candidates for the Office of
state attorney. Both are good men,
and either viii fill the Office well. Mr..
scofeId has held the position for one
term, To which he was elected, and