The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1918-03-12
SIGHTED THE u. S. SENATE"
Lakeland Starr

The governor evidently does not
intend to take any action soon on the
charges preferred against the county
commissioners. This was announced
before the charges were ever made by
enemies of the governor and politl-
clans; even the commissioners them
selves laughed at the matter and
seemed so cock-sure that the COVER
nor was straddling and would do
nothing. Then when the action came
on the Clifton matter, when absolute
charges were shown and the grand
jury recommended that the governor
act and remove the superintendent, he
put that off, too. The charges against
the commissioners were filed the first
of February, and in a statement from
Mr.. Mathews himself, who conduct
ed the trial in a very fair way, every
charge made by the taxpayers was
abundantly proven; and if you will re-
call, the governor removed the COM
missioners of Volusia county for an
offense not considered half as expen.
sive to the taxpayers as the ones In
this county. The apparent delays and
evident effort of the governor to put
matters off in this connection and the
Polk county hearing, have begun to
make the taxpayers feel that he is un-
doubtedly allowing influences political
to help him play the game and that
he has sighted the United States SEN
ate in the distance. These delays are
costly and the taxpayers are the ones
who are up in the air. The Star editor
and others have written letter after
letter and sent wires to get some idea
of whether any decision was forth
coming or not. Most of the governors
time lately has been spent out gal
avanting about over the state, leaving
the Office to be taken care of by one
of the best politicians in the state.
Just why delays are necessary and
the states business cannot be looked
after is not known, but the Star has
wired the office at Tallahassee to
wake up and decide the case one way
or another and get off the fence.
While on this subject the Star is
sorry to state that it appears that
politics seem to have played an i'm
portant part in the Stone pardon
case; that it has also played some
part in the Clifton hearing and now
in the commissioners hearing, poll
tics seems to be having the desired
effect.
1t makes no difference whether the
election is near at hand or not, in
/ justice to the taxpayers and the
commissioners, something ought to be
announced and the governors posi-
ton made public. ~
Il Regardless of what action is taken
the charges are of record and the
4 taxpayers are going to generally find
out just what was testified to and
they themselves can be the Judge of
whether the governor acts according
to the evidence or not. Many are
disguised with his attitude on the
question already, but the Star is
willing to wait, but in the meantime
the wires are going to be kept hot
until some one is showed off the fence
and colors displayed. Wires have also
been sent to the attorney general for
his position, as he was to pass upon
the evidence as well.
One of the most convincing argu-
ments that politics entered the gov.
errors Office long time ago is the
announcement coming through poll
ticians and even enemies of the gov
ernor in this county, that regardless
of what is done or the evidence
against the county commissioners of
Polk county, that the governor would
not remove them nor take any action
This was announced before any hear
ing was ever held, and it seems to the
Star that if the governor would stay
at home and attend more to business
and cut out the politicians who are
working him, he would not only full
fill the pledges he has made to the
people of Florida, but not get SO
many friends who have stood loyalty
by him, in bad, and some of them, in
GLIDING the editor, into lawsuits.