The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1919-02-07

try contend that government own
ership of railroads" will be the par
amount issue" in the next presidential
campaign and it may be the rock on
which parties may split.
So those who really desire the t~i,
umph Of the democratic party wit O.
we'll to watch their step"
Very soon after the signing Of the
arrnistice a number Of Ocala citizen
wired the following message to our
senior senator:
"Ocala. Fla, Dec. ~, 1918. Hon
Duncan L. Fletcher. U. S, Senate,
Washington, D. c.: We. the under,
signed citizens Of Ocala wish to e%-
press to you and to your colleagues
through you our absolute disappro-
val Of government ownership Of rail,
roads and telegraph and cable con.
panies. and believe that they sholf
he returned to their owners Il IL
cur earnest conviction that this pol,
icv is taking US away from true dew-
ocracv and means one more step t.
ward the autocracy ot socialism. We
trust that when this measure comes
before the senate and house for &C
tion that YOU will take counsel with
YOUR constituents and we believe
that they will agree with the aoove
by an overflowing majority
"(SigredJ Jake Brown, 7. Z CAace'
2 G Chambliss. ". 5. Bullock. T T,
Munroe. !. NJ. Thomas, Louis R. Cha2.
al. H. D. Stokes, A. f. Gerig. v ".
Cist George MacKay and L. W Du-
vail"
This telegram called forth the fol
lowing reply from one in the O"a!a
Banner. signing himself "a Believer
in Wilson'S Policies"
~ Dynamite Behind II
"OcaIa. Ella. Dec. q. 1918 t. the
Editor Ocala Banner: am only a
plain man and do>not profess to car
ry an overload of wisdom. but it hoes
seem to me that the telegram sent
to Senator Fletcher and signed by
Messrs. Jake Brown. T. c. Cham1hss
James 2. Chace, T. r Munron, 7. w>
Duval, ]. NJ. Thomas. w. s. Bullock.
l. R. Chazal, H. D. Stokes, A. F. Ger
ig, w M Gist and George MacEav
was slap in the face" Of tre prns;-
cent and a condemnation Of those De
hind him in the conduct Of the gov.
eminent.
"Tt is our earnest Conviction
says these gentlemen, that this pol,
icy is taking us away from true dem
ocracy and means one more step to-
wards the autocracy' of socialism
Zone more step. What we're
those other steps?
AT the very time the president IS
engaged in the commendabe aud
most delicate and herculean task Of
leading the world into the gl0ri00s
light Of democracy. as we have been
led to understand it. and whoa the
representatives of many nations are
strewing his pathway with flowers
and decorating his brow with imm0r-
tails, a cry goes UP from Ocala that
his policies are the accumulation. SO
to speak of the very 'autocracy Ct So
cialism
Can one believe his ears?
"And it is expected that Senator
Fletcher who is soon to be a 3andi-
date for reelection, is to be actuated
and governed by the spirit Of that
telegram?
There is danger ahead There IS
dynamite behind the spirit Of that
telegram. 1t is putting a weapon in
the hands Of the one slated to re the
senator's opponent
"a Believer in Wilson'S Policies
With government ownership Of
railroads" and woman suffrage" as
new issues the next senatorial com
/ bat in this state and the national
presidential election promises to be
as exciting as we have ever had.
It occurs to me that it behooves
those Of US who sincerely wish TO see
the democratic party in state ana "a.
tiou successful to move along with
exceeding caution.