The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1920-01-11
HARDEE CREETS
STATE TEACHERS
Live Oak. Fla.

I want to thank you very sincerely
for your kind invitation to send a mes
sage TO the teachers Of Florida
through the columns of the Florida
SchooIroom at this season of univer-
sal good cheer. { 1t gives me especial
pleasure to respond to your invitation,
because having been teacher myself
have always felt especially close to
the teachers of Florida, and have al
wavs taken a deep interest in their
work. To the teachers of our schools
has been entrusted the most sacred
duty that can be given to any human
being. namely, moulding from the
plastic mind of childhood, the char
ac+ers which must ultimately direct
tba destinies of this nation. 1 there
eora wish to take advantage of this
onnortunity to wish them Godspeed in
+beir splendid work, and / wish also
ed6rsss a few serious words to them
regarding the more important public
questions of the hour.
THE campaign that is now being
Vaged in this state will mean more, I
believe to the prosperity of the state
and to the welfare and the happiness
Of the people than that has so far been
,vaped in her history. When President
wilson said last fall that we are face
10 face with conditions which are
more likely to effect the happiness
and prosperity of our people every
where, than the war itself" he simply
voiced a conviction that had already
been lodged in the minds of every
thinking man and woman in every
civilized country on earth. And so
then, while there are many things
that 1 would like to say to my friends
there regarding the campaign / real
ize that l should not take advantage
Of your generosity by attempting to
ill too large a portion of your space.
I believe that man who aspires
to be governor of Florida should have
very strong and clear cut convictions
regarding every important question
that he may be called upon to COM
slider while governor, and should be
at all times ready to take the people
into his full confidence as to exactly
where he stands in regard to those
questions.
In a general way I believe that the
subject OF tax reform should receive
the profound attention of our leading
men, and that some system of taxa
ton should be devised by which the
burden of taxation may fall more
equally upon all classes of people.
/ believe that Florida should have
the best system of good roads that
cause the industrial future of the
state undoubtedly depends upon the
kind of roads that she may be in a
position to offer to those who may
contemplate coming into the state to
develop her agricultural resources. or
to establish other lines Of business
I believe that a liberal and practical
education and skilled mental training
are the best legacies we can leave to
our children and that Florida should
have the best school system and the
best teachers that a business like adj
minstration of the state funds can
provide. In this connection it may be
appropriate to say that L believe the
entire business of the state should be
run exactly as coreful and pru-
dent and successful business man con-
ducts his own business, and that only
those financial measures should be fa-
vored that tend to bring back to the
state the largest returns for the money
invested.
OF course all thinking men now
agree that the greatest asset of an
agricultural state is her soil, and that
every moment which ends to de-
yelope and improve every kind Of
agricultural development should be
encouraged. Farmers should have fair
treatment from transportation COM
panies. and as far as possible to do |
SO by law, fair and open markets
should be provided for their product.
These are q few of the questions /
that I shall later touch upon and en-
large in my platform which will issue
TO the voters later on, and they are
all Important, but it has seemed to
me that the great overshadowing is |
sue in this campaign and one that /
transcends in Importance all of the |
others combined, is whether we shall |
establish at Tallahassee a government /
for this state that will be worthy of |
her traditions and her splendid /
destiny.
One that will have and deserve the
cooperation and support of every |
earnest natriot. That will quiet rest
lassness. dissatisfaction and uncer-
tainty. an that will protect the Con
situation from the vicious attacks mat
are being made on it by the raoleais
and those with anarchistic and DOL
shevistic tendencies.
That will restore prosperity TO al
industries. and that viii promote tns
welfare and happiness of all class IS
50 decisive as to leave no doubt in the
minds Of any man or woman wnetne'
Florida intends to be ruled by QUIZ
present constitutional form of govern
ment, or whether she intends to ADOPT
Ultimately the Russian communlstlc
form which was conceived in the de-
ceased and distempered minds of Lee
nine and Trotsky.
Whether she intends to surrender to
the lawless forces of confiscation and
destruction, or whether her elected Of
ficials will SO discharge their duties
as to protect the Constitution and up
hold the law.
FMS IS the kind Of government that
{ am ambitions 10 SO ss.at.lsn1aoa - |