Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-04-12
LETTER FROM TALLAHassEE,
Enects OF the Local Option Decision
Activity Among the Truck Farmers
Railroad Rumblings and Other Topics
of Interest AfiOat in Florida.

a.
TALLAHAssEE, April 1O.-The decision
Of our Supreme Court affirming the con.
stltutionality of the local option LIQUOR
law was surprise to many. 1t is true
that the fifth and sixth sections were pro-
nounced unconstitutional, but that nor.
tlon OF their decision in no way affects the
prerequisites in procuring license. I'm
der this decision. eyerv dealer in intOxi-
eating liquors and beverages is required
10 present petition signed by
majority of the registered voters
IN his precinct, and each
signature to be attested by two credible
and known witnesses. In addition TO
this, the applicant must make affidavit
that each and every name or mark affixed
to the petition was the act and deel of the
party purporting to have signed the same :
and IL must further appear that there was
| no fraud, bribery or deception in prOcur-
ing sald signatures and marks to said pc
tltion; and said petition, with the
names and marks thereto attached.
shall be published in full, at
paper rne965fi nm965fisbed in tha the county whore m
such application shall be made, and if
there be no paper published In such cOun-
ty, then copy of such petition and sigma
lures shall be posted at the county site
and at the election precinct of the district
| wherein such license is sought for the
space of two weeks before the time fixed
for the hearing of such petition. 1t will
! thus be seen that where majority of the
voters in any district are opposed to the
selling of intoxicating liquors, it will be
impossible for vendors to obtain the
necessary license. 1t has been
contended by some that in
community where the ignorant and
| vicious abound it will be easy for :. man
of no reputation to obtain the signatures
of a majority of the voters, but an intelli-
gent board of commissioners will be very
careful to whom they accord this privi-
lege, for they must be satisfied that there
was no fraud, bribery or deception in pro-
curing signatures. And as it is we'll
| known that the ignorant and depraved
would not sign such a petition without
promise, either express or implied,
of reaping some benefit therefrOm. a
petition recommending the licensing of
a man of doubtful character would be
closely looked into. The fifth and sixth
| section of the act, giving the County Com
mlsslOnerS power to revoke license tor
cause shown, and prescribing the method
OF procedure, were pronounced unconSti-
tutiOnal, as they constituted such COM
missiOners a court, which was not recOg-
HlLCu Dy JuC COIStdtublOHs AS JulS uueS-'
tiOn did not properly come up before the
court and was not argued by all the coun-
sci, it may at some future day,
should the point come squarely before
them, render different decision. But
the statute in its main features is now the
law of the land, and must and will be en-
forced. In this section, where our cOlOred
brother predominates, where he is dis
posed to too frequent potations of corn
! juice, it is possible that for a time, at
least, licenses will be granted, but in
other sections the sale of Intoxicating
! liquors will be unknown.
The Florida Presbytery met here in the
| Presbyterian Church last Wednesday, and
! adjourned on Saturday night. There was
quite Il good attendance of ministers and
| elders from the various parts of the State.
| Twenty-Five churches were represented,
| and the different charges were reported to
! be in a prosperous condition. This respec-
! table apd influential denomination of
| Christians is making sure and steady pro-
! gress in our State. Every year there is a
! gratifying increase of members and new
| churches built. So great has been their
! increase that, within the last few years,
| the territory west of Santa Rosa
| has been divided into two Presby-
teries; that extending from and including
! Walton county to the Transit Railroad,
known as the Florida Presbytery, and the
/ ObuCl UOl liOl vi bIlt Cbdlts lNIll2 east ana
| south OF said road, as the st. Johns Pres
! bytery. Their ministers, without eXcep-
/ ton, are cultured, and their influence in
/ their several localities is eXerted for good
! The veteran of the Florida Presbytery is
| the Rev. Mr.. Mccormick, of Gainesville.
He has been serving his present congre-
! CATION for nearly thirty years. a longer
| period for the same charge, probably.
than any other minister in the State.
| With originally but one church under his
care, in Alachua county, he now has three.
But age and sickness have left their
mark upon him, and being no longer able
to exercise his pastoral care over all
three he will, as soon as the vacancy can
be supplied, restrict himself to his charge
in Gainesville. To say that he is beloved
by congregation among whom he has so
| long labOred is perhaps unnecessary. His
long residence among his people is an
evidence of that. A year or two ago his
dwelling was destroyed by fire. But such
was the esteem in which he was held that
in short time a subscription sufficient to
build a new house was raised. SO long
has he been living in that community,
such is his piety, and so catholic his
views, that he has the respect and love of
all denominations.
Another veteran of the Presbytery is
Rev. Mr.. Crane, of Gadsden county. He
came to the State about 1915, and for
bOLlC ytdIo tiuSub SCuOOI Ill bUlS county.
subsequently entering the ministry he
had charge of a church in Jackson county.
For years past he has been pastor of a
congregation of the IamOnia settlement in
this county. He and Mr.. Mccormick are
the only ministerial survivors of the Pres
bytery of twenty-five years ago. Both are
becoming old, but both Jealous and active
workers in their Masters cause.
In a very short time our truckers will
begin the shipment of their produce. AL
ready there has been exhibited from the
garden of Mr.. Thos. S. Perkins, of this
city, as fine specimen of the Irish potato
as | have seen. These potatoes were
planted about January 10, and in ninety
days he was able to exhibit three large
specimens that weighed pound and
three-quarters. Some of our truckers
have planted heavily, and it is estimated
that the yield will be four times greater
than last year. Cabbages have not turn
ed out quite so well on account of the
long cold spell in March. The
profits resulting from the shipment ofearly
vegetables will contribute more to the /
development of this section by inducing
immigration and capital than anything
else. We may boast of our fine soil and
climate, but if we cannot prove that there
is nothing to be made, all our boasting is
IN vain. Already several Northern men,
who have purchased small tracts, have
written TO their friends and gave them the |
Middle Florida fever. Some of these
friends will be sure to follow, and soon
our old red hills will be made to blossom
as the rose,
The ThOmasville, Tallahassee and Gulf |
Railroad Company are going ahead with
their work. The corps of engineers being |
organized and in the field, in very short |
time will make their report as to the most |
practicable route between here and |
Thomasville. The company are getting |
out neat pamphlet of some twenty pages, |
which contains much of statistical and |
other valuable information.
The county along the route of the road |
from Thomasville to Tallahassee is de- |
scribed as consisting of a pleasing va |
riety of hill and dale, forest and field, lake |
and stream, the swelling ranges of fertile |
uplands, with broad, rich valleys lying in |
between, forming prospect of surprising |
beauty and giving manifest evidences Of /
the eXuberant fertility of the soil" Be-
tween Tallahassee and Carabelle the road |
is represented as passing through ''One of |
the finest bodies of standing timber to be
found in the Southern States. Several |
hundred thousand acres are covered with
virgin forests of yellow pine awaiting the
hand of industry to convert them into lum-
ber, or extract from them their hidden
wealth of turpentine, r0sin, and other
naval stOres.o To the tourist as well as
capitalist it will prove a readable pamph-
let, for its description of this section of
country is not only interesting, but I
truthful. Unfortunately too many ac-
counts of Florida are rOse-cOlOred-t
raise too high the expectations of the in
tending IMMIGRANT WlO fiuds q paolf.