The Punta Gorda herald. [volume] (Punta Gorda, Fla.) 1893-1958, 1920-06-03
(Manatee River JourraD


called attention to gentleman's
agreement that was made at Arcadia
twenty years ago whereby 1t is agreed
that the state senator from this dis
trict shall alternate between the two
counties, and we desire at this time
to give a little OF the real history of
how that agreement came to be made,
and the further fact that never dur
ing the twenty years of its existence
has Manatee county failed to live up
to that agreement. The senatorial
coAvention met at Arcadia, and for
week the delegates from the two
counties ballOted on a candidate FOR
state senator, DeSoto county ballot
! inc all this time for one candidate,
and the delegates from Manatee coun-
ty voting for several different candi-
dates, but at no time supporting the
man the DeSotc county delegation
was determined to nominate. After
week had been thus spent the con-
vention adjourned, and when it re-
convened a prominent man from AT
cadia asked to be allowed to take
few minutes, and as nothing was
being accomplished by the continu-
GUS balloting he was given chance.
The man immediately stated that
he felt sure trat something should be
done to amcably settle the wrangfe
that each hour was getting more pit
ter. and finally an agreement was
drawn up and signed, and under tn
memorandum it was agreed that the
man DeSoto county wanted nominal
ed at that time would be nominated,
and that the next time the candidate
should come from Manatee county.
and thereafter the candidates should
alternate each four years, or term.
The agreement provides that the
people of DeSoto county, by conven-
ton or primary, shall have the right
to pick their candidate when 1t is
their time to nominate, and the peo-
Pile of Manatee county have the same
right when 1t is their turn.
We are indebted to Frank Walpol7
of Sarasota, who was chairman OF the
Manatee county delegation to the
senatorial convention in 1900, which
made this agreement, and was one OF
the men who made it and signed it.
Mr.. Walpole further stated that
FOR twenty years the people OF Man
atee county kept this agreement IN
violate, and he was sure they were
not ready to break it now. be
further called attention to the fact
that if Manatee county should break
it once we would be the loser, for
there are more voters in DeSoto cOun-
| ty than in Manatee, and if we break
| the agreement we should not nope
for anything from DeSoto county, as
that county then would be entitled |
to take the senator all the time, and |
by their votes in the primary, if they |
took notion to do It, they could. |
Mr.. Walpole stated that he was per-
fectly willing for every person to
know where he stood on the subject. |
He Is for living up to the agreement
and never breaking it. He said he |
thought that "a political agreement |
should be kept as faithfully as a note |
at the bank"
Hon. Charles T. Curry Talks.
On the same subject Hon. Charles
r. Curry. one of Manatee county's +
most popular citizens, and for long
time democratic county chairman, in
talking to the representative of the
Journal stated that he stood now just
where he did last winter when del
egation from DeSoto county came
over here and urged him to be can
didate, and that under no circum-
stances would he vote for Manatee
county man for state senator this
year. Mr.. Curry further stated that
personally he thought that it would
be the most serious political mistake
that Manatee county could make to
violate this agreement, after keeping
it for twenty years. He also called
attention to the fact that Manatee
county would be the loser if any such
thing was done Mr. Curry stated
that he always considered his word
just as good in q political matter as
a bond, and that he would not vote
for a Manatee county man this year,
for to do so he considered would be
breaking faith with DeSoto county,
In connection with the delegation
that came over from DeSoto county
a few months ago and urged Mr..