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There is one thread that has run consistently through
all American political history -- that the peOple reserve unto
themselves the privilege of selecting those who exercise power
over them. This thread begain with George Hashington -- who
refused to serve more than two terms because he was afraid of
political power even in his own hands. It continued through Harry
Truman, during whose administration the people wrote into the
Constitution a provision against any President serving more than
two terms.
In Florida we have been more fearful of entrenched
political power and the abuses of political machines. Into our
Constitution we have written a provision that no Governor shall
be eligible for re-election to his office. Our present Governor
has served for six years only because his first election was for
a two year period. But throughout the 115 years of our Statehood
there has been no other violation of the spirit of that prohibition.
The people of Florida have not been content even with
this safeguard of their liberties. 80 strong has been their
feeling that even the suspicion that a Governor was attempting to
perpetuate his political power has made the victim of that
suspicion the object of their disapproval. As a result, until
this campaign, no Governor of this State in my lifetime has ever
successfully endorsed a successor for his office.
Tonight, out of the desperation of my opponent has come
an attempt to violate the traditional freedom of Americans to
select their own officers without domination or dictation. The
Governor of Florida, after first announcing that he would remain
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neutral, that he would remain aloof, then came forward to endorse
my opponent in this second primary as he saw the weakness of his
campaign. Finally, in these closing hours, when I shall have no
opportunity to respond, he takes the stump in an attempt to wrap
the mantle of prestige with which you havc clothed him around his
chosen successor. He does so only from a recognition of the fact
that without some drastic action the people of Florida will reject
my opponent and select me to be the next Governor of this state.
The question you have to decide is as to whether you
will establish this political dynasty and permit the entrenched
forces of power to dominate this election, or will make the
selection that you have independently decided to do. I personally
have no fear. I know that the people of this state recognize
that if they let this incumbent Governor select his successor, the
next Governor can select his successor and the freedom of election
which is the very bedrock of democracy will have been forever
lost. Florida has been so wonderfully free of machine politics
because of our great tradition and our Constitutional prohibition.
While Louisiana labored under its dynasty, we have moved from one
administration to the next, using each as a stepping stone.
There have been so many problems left unsolved by this
administration which fresh minds and fresh ideas can solve. Nobody
has a monopoly on plans or ability or on desire to serve. When I
in my time have given you four years of service it will be time
for a change then too. It is time for a change now.
we need to stem the racial unrest and it will take a
firm, mature hand to do it, not a youth who must always run to
others for advice.
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We need to re-write our Constitution and it will take
a strong leader who knows the basic charter of our liberties to
satisfy our need.
We need to reapportion our Legislature and it will take
a Governor who has won the respect of the members of that body
because he understands their needs.
This has been a strange campaign. I have not had to
fight an opponent whose name will be on the ballot, but a combination
of powerful, left-wing newspapers determined to perpetuate their
influence. These papers, the Miami Herald and the Miami News, the
Tampa Tribune and the Tampa Times, the St. Petersburg Times, are
not a vast collection of wise men elected by the people to make
their choices for them, but a total of four men elected by no one,
running a purely commercial enterprise, clouding every issue, hiding
every weakness of their chosen instrument, denying every virtue
of those who oppose them. Now to these opponents are added a name
who for the first time in the 115 year history of this state has
taken it upon himself to dictate the election of his successor.
The real issue becomes not so much whether you shall elect Farris
Bryant your Governor as whether you shall renounce the right to elect
your Governor. If these newspapers and this man can dictate your
choice of the next Governor of the State of Florida, in four more
years their throttle-hold upon the political life of this state
will be so firm that we shall never shake it.
Sometime ago on a statewide telecast I told you what I
believed in. Do you remember? People. Their democracy. Out of
their strength comes the strength of democracy. Out of their
determination comes the freedom we enjoy. Remember as you go to
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the polls that you choose not for four years alone, but for a
generation.
Yes, this is a strange campaign. I qualified with nine
other men to run for Governor of this great state and you chose
me foremost among them.
During the entire first primary I never once criticized
an Opponent. I ran on my record of performance, a reputation
for integrity, and a platform for progress.
In this second primary, I have clung to that policy
while defending myself against falsehoods and distortions unequalled
in the political history of this state. I was charged with being
a lawless man becaust I protested the action by the United States
Supreme Court -- then my opponent who had made the charge was
revealed to have approved that protest.
I was charged with being a school closer -- then my
opponent who made that charge was shown to have voted himself to
close our schools.
I was accused of being a master of deceit -- then my
Opponent who made the charge was revealed as having deceived you
when he told a false story about my conduct with some Negro citizens
in Jacksonville.
I was charged with telling half-truths -- then it was
revealed that my opponent had told you untruths.
I was charged with being a sectional candidate -- then
my Opponent tried to pit South Florida against the North.
The conduct of this campaign by the Opposition has done
more to divide this state, to create sectionalism and to retard
the progress of Florida than has been done since the War.
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a-ltltter p litictl hit -hthy tte h ntoh'thn4lve dthg priilg i f t seeitthii thi toeerie i irthem. Thi. t itt G-i i.i.h.h r Mlhint hi phitial p f S. -i hi bhi ii .I i ti d th H tiithuti hl. P ii p.i-tih ny i.reliden t e i-t. Chnhituition h hv rittnth thphi Sit n tt ntt tihtno hitl t -ere -a enn te vilaif --the fpr I f pp. t prhi. to thi en -lua d hi li-ete.S s tro ht ..e1te
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-eta, thbt e ...uId --ai lof thn -am I.-a to .....s. Ppy .pp.nt nt-i -eod primar .. h. sthe Iekes f his thematleofpretie ith -hih Y.u hab-thed hit -rud hl. ha ithout dom d..ti. -1.io -h people of Fl--id -I bej-c ty opp-bet ad beet met. b. -h ...xt GIv.rnor f thisltte T -qeti.nyo hae t. --id I. -s t -hthY.u wiletbihths P.li-ica dynaty and permIt ---etenhd ors f P-wer t. d-mnt -hi -lti.n, orwl ethe have .. f-ar I -no -h the People of -hi -tt recgni that If -hy -e th -inubnt G--,no -el-t -i su....sb-, h n-x Q-ero .a el hi. ..... I bbd -h -red.m f eleti .hiib the er bedroc .deory .. l .h11 e b-e I--ve lost. Fld. ha. 1-e .. -ondrfly fre of bbbh-n p-lt-c bcus of ... g-ea trditio an u Constitu Ia prohiiti. Wh11. L-ui-an --ord -nd, its dynaty, -e .ave --v iroon adi 1.rto -o th-n u-in -ac bb a .tepin bton Th-r -av b... .. ..y prbbl-m left un.1-vd by ti .dii -rtonwih -reh -id and fr...h Idt.--sv .body ha ..-ooply .n pln or ability or .. d--ir t. sev hen I inm ieh-v gile y.u -u y-ar of --ri it .111 b, im fr hag hnt... It 1. t-m for a ch-ng n. eedto btem tbbai .-ret adIt iltk firm, -.tre .n t. d. It, -o b yoth hous ly unt. otter -o ad"i.
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-at-,f -u ed. .1 G -ero .h.hs the -Pe-t of -h -1.er of that -oy beaue e ndr td th-, -,ds TI-a ...n .btrang -lp-gn I -.v n-a t. ..ph ... Iponn .h .ne ill b. .n the -alt Iu -omintio -nle.Th... --er, -h Mia.1 H-1a an -h M-am N-w,th TI~p -rb-n ad -h T-mp Tie-h St. --erb-r Ime,ar -o a vast colcino iemneetdby tepeople t. mak th-i -hice-o hm u t-tl tf f-u -letd by .. .n., rnngapurly comril nepiscoding --y 1uhiding --..y eknsof thei hosen in -wet eying --e -.tu tf th..e -h --os t-e, Nwt. h-s oppnns .. add. --a1 -h ft, the first -m inth 115 yeh--or of thb st-t a -Ske it up-n himslf t. dictt the eeto f hi. -.uc. Th. reIs... I--me -o -omc ht-e ytu -Ia elet F-ri y-u G ..rn r. If -hs n -.p-er nd Il .a ..n di-tt y-u hice of the n.G---no of -h St-t of -lrda, In -Su --r y-ar thei thrttle-hod upthe, p.l-icl l1fe .1 this s-1t .ill b, -11 .... tha .hlnerhkeIt. -oetm .g ona t-de --lcat I odY-uwa 1eivdi .D y.u -eeb-9 Pop T-i d--,rcy Out of -1ei -t-nth -oesth --enth of --ocaY. Ou f t-ei d----naio -oe h freedom .. enjoy. Re.e-e a. Y. go.t
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