The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1884-10-07


neys On both sides, court officers, master, etc,
which nearly consumes, the amount derived from
land sales. During this entire period the debt
was rapidly accumulatlng, with Insignificant
sums 10 meet it.
WHAT WAS TO BE DONky
Two administrations had evinced their appre
citation OF the situation by earnest effort I" sell
of u large body Of the lands al N reduced rate as
the only means of saving anything to the fund
Governor Stearns administration had appointed
the eminent statesman and diplomat, Reverdy
johnson who had represented in the capacity of
Minister Plenipoten'iary our government Mt the
Court of St james, as the agent of the State to
visit Europe for the purpose OF selling large
body OF these lands at twenty-five cents per acre
in order To relieve the fund
Soon after my immediate predecessor, Cover
nor Drew. Came into office, he recognized the
absolute necessity o; such n sale rs the only
means OF relieving the fund and developing the
State Mr. s. A. Swami, If our State APP
pointed the agent of the Internal Improvement
Board. In This capacity he visited Europe in adj
dition to making several trips North, in the hope
OF selling sutnclent quantity OF these lands at
reduced price, in order to save the fund from ut
ter wreck. (See reports of Secretary of Trustees,
Journals, 1875 to 1881 inclusIve.) The Board
had long advertised Ia sell, even in blocks as
small US ice thousand acres ut fifty cents per acre,
and there had been no time, for years past, that
would not have been cheertully made at twenty
five cents per acre. All of these efforts had been
published To the world through the Legislative
journals without dissenting note rs TO the price,
80 far rs am aware, from any source. Legsla-
ture after Legislature had met, and in response
to the inquiry what was to be done to relieve the
lands from this inheritance of seemingly neces-
sary spOliation, mo- cheering answer could be
given The right of the State 10 its equity of re-
demption Was freely voted away, AS insolvency
seemed the inevitable doom OF the entire fund
The State could not pay the debt or issue her
bonds for the same, rs her Constitution would
not allow ii. She stood helpless in the presence
OF the impending danger.
Governor Stearns was endorsed, after his IF
forts to sell, by denomination from the Rrpub-
lican party. Governor Drew's administration
was endorsed after his efforts 10 sell, and the
Democratic party IN placing my name before the
people as its candidate, declared D." that we favor
the ACKNOWLEDGMENT of the Internal Improve
ment Fund of the Slate al the earliest practical
moment"
Thus both political parties and their repre-
stntatlvcs were committed 10 sale of large
block Oi lands at reduced figures rs the only
means of saving anything to The fund 1t was
that or the entire loss OF our landed interests
WE'RE THEY NOT CORRECT:
We had about thirteen million acres OF land
still unsOd resting under debt of oven mil
lion Of dollars This debt bore seven per cent
interest, falling due twice yearly, and became
interest bearing fast rs il fell due With An
inter, ST OF seventy or eighty thousand dollars
per year, and meagTe lani sales to meet it, il re-
quires but slight calculation TO that delay
would have been ruinous; for in few more
years The debt would have been 50 overwhelming
that the entire landed fund would not have paid
it. But even this respite was not to be allowed
us 1t Was well known that the creditors hav-
ing invoked the powers of the United States
-, 4 1
determined to force sale for their prutecrinn
This would have taken the entire fund, and LETT
nothing to apply, in accordance with legislative
grants 20 building of railroads and adding TO the
development OF the State.
| have read every criticism that | have
seen upon this sale, and must confess, have not
yet. seen Il more feasible remedy. Some nave
suggested why moi borrow money by mortgage
the lands To pay off the creditors? \ slight
examination will show the inaccuracy ut such
Judgment 1t was the debt we wanted to relieve
Legislative land grants 10 railroads produced no
results, because Capitalists would not invest their
money having lands as security, when those
lands had judgment on them that had first to
be satisfied before the trustees could give clear
title. To have changed the debt from one SET of
creditors TO another would have lel the fund in
the same embarrassment, and the same nsur-
noun able obstacle to railroad building would
have still existed. All these questions had been
fore the present, the best ln'ellects OF the State
had endeavOred to secure II remedy-and it WAS
the conclusion of all that n sale Was The only
means TO escape utter ruin. When the efforts of
Governor Stearns and Governor Drew's admin
slraions in the same direction were well known,
why did not some of The wise critics of to-day
come forward and call halt and present a bet.
ter remedy Why did not the successive Legis
aiuies that had met in the meantime open il
differ ent avenue OF escape, il one were possible:
Why sit still III The impending danger, with NOT
single suggestion or II single protest against
the policy that had been tried for years, and
after its accomplishment and the danger had
passed. commence to crilicisey
THE PRICE
The Board of Trustees had, for large bodies
in blocks of ten thousand acres, made ii seized
ule prices of 40 cents per acre for one million
acres, 30 cents per acre Tor three million acres
and 25 cents per acre tor four million acres
Governor Stearns had long offered three million
acres at IS cents per acre to relieve the fund.-
without securing purchaser. Governor Drew
had offered three million acres at q cents per
acre for the same purpose, without accomplish
ing the object. The fund was seeking purchas-
ers at these prices and had been for years be-
fore the sale WAS accomplished
or similar character is the oft-repealed as
sertiOn thai Mr.. DisstOn bought up the indebted
ness al greatly reduced figures and made pay
ment of The same, thus reducing the pncc he
paid to very small sum As the trustees were
compelled TO take the coupons representing The
Indebtedness ut their face value, it was no in
iury To the fund if he had paid in the adudca
ted obligations of the same. But the fact is he
made all his payments in cash. except some
$4,000 Of coupon Indebtedness, which Cost him
80 cents ON the dollar. AS to the charge that
the sale kept secret tor the benefit OF >pec-
ulators, or kept secret at ali and the in,inua-
ton that unworthy motives controlled the ac-
ton of the board for base purposes, they IN
worthy calumnies, brought forward tor political
effect.
1t is charged that we nulllficd a law OF The last
LEGISLATURE providing homes for actual settlers
ut twenty five cents per acre This, like other
charges. is without foundation. 1t Was we'll
known that the United States Court had charge
OF the fund when the acI was passed, and The Trns
tees had TO act in conformity with lis orders.
We could not sell actual settlers selected pieces
OF land at twenty five cents per acre rs long
the fund WAS controlled by the court for The pro
lection of the creditors. As soon, however, rs
we were released from the control of the court
by a practical payment Of the debt and The dis
missal of the suit the law was ut once complied
with and no application for lands subject sale,
made in accordance with the same, has been re-
fused. The law was complied with just as soon
as we had the power to do so. II could NOT he
carried out AS long Ms the fund Was hampercd
with the debt. There WAS law PASSED in 1879.
over twelve years ago, allowing actual settlers
land for less than twenty live cents per acre. 1t
hrs been upon the statute book for period run
hing through Governor Stearns' and Governor
Drew's administrations Why was ii not com
Dlied with. Why has there been no complaint
of its not being carried outr The court would
nnt have allowed u compliance as long the
d.I,, existed and sensible men knew il. The