The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1920-10-05
COMMIT THESE TO MEMORY
POLITICAL SITUATION
IN MARION COUNTY


The political situation in this coun-
ty is one to cause a democrat concern
IL not alarm. BY democrat. we mean
those who consider. their party alleg-
lance principle and trust, year IN
and year out, and not merely a blen-
NAL spasm.
A strong attempt is being made by
the republicans to carry Marion, and
il the democrats don't wake up and
work it may succeed,
The democrats need waking up bad
w. The chairman Of the county COM
mittee, an able and popular young
man. entirely neglected his job until
the Star gave him rude jolt Monday.
He aot busy at once, but If the Star
was as apathetic as majority Of the
democrats i'm the county, he wouldn't
have thought Of the election until
election day. Mel Ferguson is very
busy young man; his private affairs
and those Of his firm require his close
attention, but if he can't attend to
this campaign, he had better call the
committee together and resign, and
the committee should elect in his place
man who will hustle from now until
after the election. We would like to
see somebody like that. Mathews boy
at Pennington or J. E. Thomas of
Sparr on that job. Somebody that
will get out among the democrats and
hustle from morning till night, stir
them up, make them see their duty to
the county and state, and party, and
see to it that they remembered it. We
need a redhot campaign We are
fools il we sit like bumps on a log
until election day.
Mr.. Ferguson knew only IN a
dreamy way Of republican activities,
Gratis around town and the county that
know Of them, not one of them had
the gumption to remind him of his
duties.
The matters we reminded the chair
man of was that the republicans, in
addition to preparing to cast a large
vote for Harding and Coolidge cleo
tors, had nominated candidates for
the Florida house of representatives;
that the negro women were register
ing with ardor, while the white wom-
en- outside of Ocala were not. Sum
med up these mean that unless dem
ocrats go to work and keep at work
Marion county may vote for republic
can electors, republican senator and
a republican governor, and two repub-
lican members (probably both ne,
groes) of the legislature.
Apathetic democrats who think
there is no danger should take tt
heart the following figures. There
are said to be 2140 white voters in
this county. But the highest number
of votes cast in the primary of lasi
June was 1876, and we don't thinl
many who were qualified stayed away
from the polls. But many of thos,
who voted in the primary were repub
icans, tho we don't believe they
would vote for. negro. 1t was som,
of these people who tried to run New
lie against Hunter, showing yer,
lamentable lack of sense of honor
for any man who voted in the dem
ocratic primary and then vote.
against its nominees would break hi,
work in any other matter where i
would not suit him to keep it.
We think it safe to calculate Their,
ore two thousand male democrats
voters in Marion county, and as man,
democratic women entitled to vote
and if they all went to the polls the,
would outvote the republicans by
it?
In 1916, the republicans cast 48
votes for Geo. w Neville, for clerl
Of the circuit court, while the demo
Gratis gave 1919 for Nugent- some
thing over three to one. It is NOR
than likely that the republicans hav
from 800 to 900 male votes in til