The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1888-02-18
THE HOLLAND CASE.

1t is said that Governor Perry told
Sheriff Holland, of Jacksonville, when
the latter pleaded for his retention in Of
flee, that the escape Of Carpenter was
matter of national Importance which
caused the eyes of the country to be
turned toward the State and cast
stigma upon the fair name of Florida
that officers holding like positions
throughout the State were watching
him and if this .derelict act were allowed
to go unrebuked it would work serious
damage to the efficiency and discipline
of these officers.
We are glad to see that Gov. Perry is
alive to the importance of rebuking dere-
Lotions of Sheriffs that would work
serious damage to the efficiency and dis
cipline of these officers" The Governor
who shuts his eyes to the fact that
county officers are remiss, inattentive to
duty, or use their office to further their
private ends and make unlawful gains,
is unpatriotic, and Gov. Perry has never
been accused of lack of patriotism. In
the I1OildHu case ne Has SiiOWH
that he is capable of acting
promptly when the honor of the
State is betrayed by unfaithful officers;
that he feels for his State as its chief
officer when the attention of other
States is called to an act of singular
remissness by county office. Inspector
Byrnes' bitter invective against Jackson
vile was undeserved but it served to
ing bad name through the inefficiency
of the authorities. The Governor was
stung at the reproach heaped on the
chief city of the State. The law gave
him remedy in this case and he used
it. The people of Florida owe him
thanks for it.
Half way measures are of little use in
such a case. If the fair name of
Florida is to DE redeemed every case of
official delinquency must meet with
prompt punishment. The officer who
shows that he is not to be trusted with
the peoples affairs is in Office too long if
he stays there day after it is shown
that he is not worthy of trust. The
Governor says truly that officers holding
like positions throughout the State were
watching Holland. Having only hui
man natures, they pay attention to such
cases and, if they have any disposition
to like offences of commission or
omission, they are encouraged or dis
couraged in dishonest courses just as
they may see the guilty officer treated.
Had Holland not been removed for
allowing George Haywood Carpenter TO
escape, other sheriffs might have felt that
there was no great danger in
allowing prisoners with influential con-
nections such liberty that their chances
of escape would be very great.
The same thing holds true when Of
ficers are discovered making unlawful
charges and putting into their own
pockets money belonging to the State or
to private individuals. Failure to adj
minister ''rebuke" in the way of a
removal is counted equal to vindication
and the laxity of county and city govern
m'ent is thereby made worse than ever.
! We take the liberty of doubling that
the Governor told Holland that if it was
case of a Floridian arrested by a
Florida officer escaping he would have
been more lenient. The Netcs-Herdld in
an article published elsewhere says it is
so rumored. The offense would be as
great in the one case as in the other, the
moral obligation on the Governor would
be as great; the only thing lacking to a
parallel would be the attention given by
the authorities and the people of other
States to the case. Other derelict Off
GERS would be as much encouraged by
one as by the other, while under either
condition the Governor would be giving
the Republican party of the State
much good campaign material
to work upon. He could not afford to
let such case go UNPUBLISHED if he were
good Democrat. The State must be
kept in Democratic hands and the best
way to do it is to prove that Democrats
are the best able to administer its affairs
and are ready to prove their fidelity to
the States interests by the removal of
unfaithful officers without regard to the
amount of influence they or their friends
may be supposed to have. The Govern
ors action in the Holland case is in this
line.