The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1920-05-09
TO REPRESENT FLORIDA.

Inc Iampd Times Is urging can
didates to the San Francisco con-
vention to announce their preference
for presidential candidates and to let
the people Of Florida know for whom
they will cast their vote should they
be elected to represent this state at the
democratic convention.
The Times declares that "F1orida's
vote is no trading piece for any dele
gate or set of delegates, to be, bar
tered away in San Francisco, to the
candidate who will promise the most
patronage for it, This is true. but
The Journal has faith enough in Nc
Adoo, Bryan, Marshall, Wilson, Ed
wards and every other democratic
leader who has been seriously men
toned for the presidency to believe
that none of these men would enter
into barter for Florida's vote; if there
is any doubt as to the rectitude of
the men announcing as representa-
tives, then that doubt is OF far great
er importance than an announcement
from such man as to whom he will
give his vote.
The important thing before the
people of Florida today is that these
men come out in the open and an
nounce their principles, particularly
as to whether or not they favor pro-
hibition or the league Of nations,-the
two great questions before the Ameri-
can people today, and the pivotal
points about which the convention is
likely to swing.
There is nothing before the people OF
so great Importance as their repre-
sentation at the convention in San
Francisco, and nothing which is re-
ceiving less attention. It is far more
important to send the right kind of
men to the convention in San Fran
cisco, than to send men instructed as
to their vote.
This not a time for machine-made
politics. It is a time for fearless
craftsmanship and time when char
acter counts more than protestations,
and when information is at a pre-
MUM.
While calling upon the candidates to
make their announcements, it would
be well to catechise them a bit as to
how much they know about the candi-
dates whose cause they espouse. How
well informed are they as to the public
careers of the candidates, and how
familiar with the principles which have
governed these careers?
What Florida needs is men. strong
enough to place principle above all
else, fearless enough to stand for that
which is right for the country, as q
whole. rather than that which is ex-
pedient for the individual. Such a
man must be a man of character as
well as vision, a man familiar with
more than political platitudes and
machine-made issues.
Let the people Of Florida demand
that the men who go to the conven-
ton as their representatives make an
nouncement Of their principles, and, IL
naming their candidate. let them give
their reasons for his support.
The people Of the United States are
not facing such a convention as has
been held in normal times. The issues
which may arise at the convention in
San Francisco are such as may affect
the very fabric of the national life.
We are at touch with the crisis in
world affairs. The question as to who
shall go to the White House may not
be settled off hand, or In any selfish
or perfunctory way. The settlement of
this question may mean the safety Of
the American nation-the very core of
civilization. 1t behooves us, then, to
have a care as to whom we send, and
it is the duty of every candidate to
come forward openly and let his pub
lie know just where he stands.