The power struggle
between Claude Pepper and Ed Ball in the mid-twentieth century in large
part determined the future of Florida. This lively account of
their interlocking careers -- both dominated by a personal quest for
power, money and purpose -- illuminates the historical role of these
two forceful personalities.
Ed Ball, bother-in-law of Alfred
I. duPont and trustee of the duPont empire, was at one time the single
most powerful businessman in the state. Claude Pepper, a senior
U.S. Senator, was the state's heir to the liberal legacy of New Deal
politics. By mid-century, the duPont-Ball empire controlled a
major part of the Florida business and political establishment -- but
not Claude Pepper.
With a strange blend of principled behavior and personal ambition, the
men personified the ambiguous nature of politics. Ed Ball
adamantly upheld what he viewed as his property rights; Pepper
unabashedly sought political power. Until now, only bits and
pieces of their dynamic clash have been told. The two figures
still are fresh in the minds of many Floridians.
Tracy E. Danese has been a practicing attorney, utility executive and
lobbyist in Florida for over 35 years. He has written articles on
Florida political history for the
Florida
Historical Quarterly.
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