The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1920-01-08
GREETING TO THE
TEACHERS OF FLORIDA
((Florida School Rooml

II
Ny dear Mr.. Corr: | want to thank
you very sincerely for your kind in
vitation to send a message to the
teachers of Florida through the col
umns of the Florida Schoolroom at
tits season of universal good cheer.
1t gives me especial pleasure to re-
spond to your invitation, because hav
irg been a teacher myself, | have al
ways felt especially close to the teach
els of Florida, and have always taken
a deep interest in their work. To the
teachers of our schools has been en-
trusted the most sacred duty that can
be given to any human being, namely,
moulding from the plastic mind of
childhood, the characters which must
ultimately direct the destinies of this
nation. l therefore wish to take ad
vantage of this opportunity to wish
them Godspeed in their splendid work,
ard | wish also to address a few Sc
rious words to them regarding the
more important public questions of
the hour.
The campaign that is now being
waged in this state will mean more, l
believe, to the prosperity of the state
and to the welfare and the happiness
of the people than any that has so far
been waged in her history. When
President Wilson said last fall "that
we are face to face with conditions
which are more likely to effect the
happiness and prosperity of our peo
pie everywhere, than the war itself"
he simply voiced a conviction that
had already been lodged in the minds
of every thinking man and women in
every civilized country on earth. And
so then, while there are many things
that | would like to say to my friends
there regarding the campaign | realize
that should not take advantage of
your generosity by attempting to fill
too large a portion of your space.
| believe the 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 con-
slider while governor, and should be
at all times ready to take the people
of the state into his full confidence as
to exactly where he stands in regard
to those questions.
In a general way l 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.
I believe that Florida should have
the best system of good roads that
progressive economy can provide, be-
cause the industrial future of the
state undoubtedly largely 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 re-
sources, or to establish other lines OF
business.
| believe that liberal and practi-
cal education and skilled mental train
ing are the best legacies we can leave
to our children, and that Florida
should have the best school system
and the best teachers, and the best
paid teachers that business-like adj
ministration of the funds of the state
can provide. In this connection ii
may be appropriate to say that l be-
lieVe the entire business of the state
should be run exactly as careful anC
prudent and successful business man
conducts his own business, and that
only those financial measures should
, be favored that tend to bring back tc
, the state the largest returns for the
money invested.
, Of course all thinking men now
agree that the greatest asset of ar
, agricultural state is her soil, and that
every movement which tends to de-
velop and improve every kind of ag
ricultural development should be en-
outraged. Farmers should have fan
, treatment from transportation com
. panies, and as far as possible to do Sc
by law, fair and open markets shoulC
be provided for their products.
These are a few of the question:
that l shall later touch upon and en-
large in my platform which l will is
ste to the voters later on, and they are
b al important, but it has seemed to mt
that the great overshadoWing issue il
this campaign and one that tran
scends in Importance all of the other:
combined, is whether we shall estab
lish at Tallahassee a government To-
this state that will be worthy of he
traditions and her splendid destiny.
One that will have and deserve tn,
!, cooperation and support of ever.
Y earnest patriot. That will quiet rest
r Iessness, and that will protect the con
! | stitution from the vicious attack
f that are being made on it by the rad