The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1920-05-14
HARDEE AND swEARINGEN

date for governor. he IS our candi-
date because we believe he will fill
the office better-much better-than
any other man in the race. We ex-
pect to vote for him and if our infu-
ence weighs for anything with our
friends we hope it will cause them or
most of them to vote for him. We be-
lieve that in qualifications for the Of
fee he is as far ahead of the other
candidates as a Kentucky racer can
outrun mule.
1t has happened, however, that in
the usual furry of political bandiage
that we have made some references to
Van Swearingen that we have later
found to be incorrect. Consequently
we have corrected them. We could
in honor do no less. And we don't
believe Cary Hardee objects to our
doing so.
Some of our friends have twitted
us with these corrections, saying we
have gone over to Swearingen. To
them we can only say that a newspa-
per that will refuse to correct or re-
tract misstatement will do its can
di6ate as well as itself more harm
than good.
We have no personal i'll will against
Van Swearingen. Our first knowledge
of him came from the Jacksonville
streetcar strike a number of years
ago. The street car men were very
badly treated, and not only the people
of Jacksonville, but those Of Ocals
and, we believe, the entire state, sym
pathized with them. Van Swearinger
was then city Judge of Jacksonville
and it seemed to US that he was tbs
only official that gave the strikers {
fair deal. We praised him for thi'
at the time, and have no desire t.
retract.
Later, Mr.. Swearingen becam
mayor of Jacksonville, and to tn,
best of our knowledge he made yer.
good official.
We did not differ with Mr.. Swearin
gen until he supported Cats in nj
incendiary and fanatical campaign il
1916. After seeing the effects of in
tolerance, we were surprised to fin
him joining hands with the intolerant
We were pleased to see Van Swear
ingen appointed attorney general, no
because we thought he was the bes
man for the Office, but because W
feared Cats would appoint niue
worse one.
We have not approved of Nj
Swearingen's actions since he Wa
first appointed and then elected to OF
flee. One thing we have against hin
was his neglect of the boys school q
Mariana. 1t was part of his wor
to look after it. and he was stron
and influential enough to have put
stop to the abuses there in fe'
weeks after his first visit to it. This
he should tell the people about it /:
once is one of the things that "
would have expected of him.
Since he was elected in 1918, he h:
taken most disproportionate part (
hiz time travelling around the sta
laying his wires for the governor
office. His conduct in this regard
scandalous. He had no right to dra
a salary from the state while tryir
to promote his own interests.
Also, he has allowed himself to
considered the candidate of class
class that has made war on al
greatly injured the public. We dor
suppose that Van. if elected, will t
to override the law in favoring tn
class; but he allows it and the pub
to think so.
We believe Mr.. Hardee will be O.
thing to all men, and not any Q
thing to any man. We believe he
the man the state needs for govern,
and that its people will do themselv
a favor in electing him to that ofi'
But so far as our corrections a
concerned, we will make correction
any misstatement we have made
soon as we know it, no matter who
is about