The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1885-05-20


and his handsome purser Hammond on
reaching the city again, and the whole
affair was a grand success.
THE HOMESTEAD LAW--POLL
TAX
4 Farmer on the Changes in Our
Constitution--Crops in West
Putnam,
MCMEEKIN, Florida,
May 18th, 1886
Editor PALATKA NEWS:
As the time is fast approaching for
the convention to convene, / think it
would not be out Of place to call the at
tention Of the members to a few items.
As far as the homestead law is concern
ed, the Herald thinks it rather an obiec-
tionable feature, do not think it ought
to be Iessened one mite, for it is an hon
| est poor mans protection, and the ex-
emption is no larger than in some other
states, and protection to new settlers of
small means, though it is true the state
or the United States cannot pass a law
but what some dishonest man can drive
a four mule team through with but very
| little assistance. For instance. take the
| United States Homestead law how
many thousands have used it that were
no more entitled to it than a five-year-
old school boy.
I know that in the recent campaign
some of the candidates advocated the
propriety Of doubling the poll tax, and
| the extra dollar for the educational fund.
Now | think it would be best to let that
remain as it is, and give the county com
missioners the power of appointing a
deputy collector at each ballot box, to
collect the poll alone, and furnish him
with a district stamp press, so when the
voter comes he shows his receipt, it is
| stamped and then he deposits his ballot;
if he has no receipt then he pays his dol
lar, gets the receipt and votes. In this
way it would save the voters the incon-
yenience Of meeting the revenue collec-
tor q mean the man who only has his
head to pay for, and require the deputy
to give bond for as many votes as there
are in his district, in dollars. By this
means there could be hundreds of dol
lars got, that the assessor has placed
upon the tax book; the polls that would
be collected in this way would pay for
all of the extra expense.
Again, sir, our wise men whom we have
sent to legislate for us in former years,
in their wisdom, have given ali of the
land that belonged to the state to rail
roads, from one end of the state to an
other. l may ask Of what benefit are
they TO the masses? Time they have
planted saw mills along the lines of the
road, and if you wanted some first class
lumber, you could only get it by paying
eastern prices, less freight, insurance.
commission and other charges. We have
given them thousands of acres of land
per mile, to build the road; enough to
build the road without one dollar, if the
land was sold. do hope the convention
will bring these companies to certain
figures; other railroad companies in other
states are only allowed to charge 3 cents
per mile for one adult and u cent for
a child from six to twelve. under six
free. and freight in proportion. [ am in
favor Of railroads, have known and seer
them nearly all Of my life; look at the
recent revenue collectors list of land adj
vertised for taxes after these railroads
have cut off all the timber. The roads
have been a great advantage to the truck
farmer in getting their vegetables. to
market, but not to the poor truckm ans
pocket in freight charges.
The canvassers at the recent campaign,
as I said before, advocated raising the poll
tax for the purpose of education, would
it not be better to let that alone. and I
am satisfied there would be more money
raised by making the orange man, pay
25 cent per thousand for every orange
that he sends to market and let this tax
go for education. Why, sir, in this coun-
ty alone, the tax would amount to ten
thousand dollars, more than the whole
Of the poll tax, if every man paid.
The weather is very cool. and the cot.
ton crop is looking very well, only it has
not grown as high as it would, had the
weather been warmer. We have had
a few slight showers last week. Dat:
badly cut short on account of drought
2 Corn looking very well, that is, Marcel
corn. Orange trees affected by the
drought and in some instances the leaves
wilt, Ihope you viii pardon me fol
troubling you with these sorry remarks
! I have some more thoughts for the con
! vention, which viii give you, if YOU
will put up with them.
r. L. SEYLE.
The new clock in the Board of Trade
Building in Chicago weighs ten tons
I II IL 1foola of brOrza ivO,, .r,I gtCrl IN,