Evening star., 1922-06-25
G. 0. P. MEMBERS Plan
WHITE PARTY IN FLORIDA
Proposal to Nominate Full Ticket
Indorsed at Meeting-Demo-
Gratis Poke Fun.
Special Dispa tch to The Star.

special Ulspatcn TO Inc star.
JACKSONVILLE. Fla, June 24.--In-
jecting bit of amusement. at least,
into the otherwise rather dull cam
paign that is now on in Florida, q
number of white republicans have
decided to form a white republican
party in the state. The meeting for
was addressed by w. c. Lawson,
local real estate agent. who declared
that. "even though their organlZa-
ton must spell defeat, they would
wage great fight for the salvation
Of the SOUTH" The suggestion that
Washington would not approve of a
republican party in Florida which
eliminated the negroes was frowned
down and the intention to put candi-
dates into the field at the coming
election was indorsed One of the
twenty-four men present, w. T. Jami- :
son. declared that the negroes OF
Florida wouldn't care If they were
eliminated from politics. 1t was de-
clared significant that the new white
republican party of Florida failed 10
indorse the present administration,
and the Orlando Sentinel. reporting
the meeting, says that the senti-
mont of the two dozen who organ
lied the party was that the present
leaders will never get us anywhere
and we must take the initiative and
rid the party of the club that has
held it in bondage in the SOUTH"
Speaking Campaign Proposed.
Plans were made looking to finan-
cial aid and a countrywide speaking
tour was proposed. but not fully
planned.
The Florida Times-Union, published
at Jacksonville. editorially suggested
that the "denatured republican party"
would have a little fun. but not get
anywhere. The Times Union showed
that in the last election the vote for
governor was test Of party
strength, for it was not affected by
international foolishness. The demo-
cratic candidates received 103.407
votes as compared with 26.442 cast
for the two republican candidates,
showing that Florida was democratic
by a vote Of four to one. But what
was the use of bothering about de-
democratic disgust?" the paper sug-
gested. The republicans saw figures
put up by the name Of their presi-
Dental candidate such as used to
represent tho democratic vote of the
state. A wave Of optimism swept
them and they were too happy to look
for pessimistio pointers. Optimism
magnified and pessimism excluded
made the republicans feel that they
were getting too many votes for one
party-just enough for two-and so
they divided.
bad start" G. o. p. Paper Says.
The Florida Post, the only admit
tedly republican newspaper in the
| state. declares that the new party
got a bad start" and says. in part:
The meeting called for the organi-
| zation of a new republican party in
the south, recently called at Orlando
seems to have gotten wrong start
The principles of the new party as
announced by it's sponsor, w. c. Law
son. are idealistic. they are practi-
cal and they will eventually win out
but Mr.. Lawson, in his zeal and en-
thusiasm, went out in the highways
and byways and bid them all come
in, and the stuff that came to the
first meeting, held Monday night
! comprised all the undesirables that
any organization could possibly have
been afflicted with at its birth.
Primarily, we have always held
that the way to correct the evils OF
any political party was fighting from
the inside; there is more to be gain
ed by putting ones own house In
order than there is by tearing down
and splitting up: in the splitting proc
ess too many splinters and shingles
get lost, and when 1t comes time to
reconstruct the whole house there
will be parts missing"