The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1891-05-08
TALLAHASSEE TIDINGS.
THE SENATORIAL CONTEST
STILL ON,
Bills Innumerable--claims, Reiiefs, etc.
The Heath Bill-ca nv1ct System
and Other Measures.

L
TALLAHASSEE, May 5, 1891.
| To the Editor Of the Banner:
The senatorial contests that have pre-
ceeded the one now on the tapis ha v
been bitter, they have been conducfe
with heart buFHings and hatred TO tn
"bitter end" but it has been reserves
| for the present contest to distinguish ii
| self both by the quality and the quantit,
of the scandal involved. The White
hurst McCIennan bribery, the "Bill
Norwood Doodle trip into Washington
after phosphate, the Newlan-B Bryan
business. and the attempt to turn Mr
Tramwell, Of Polk, by an offer of 81
shares of phosphate stock. which offe
came from one Aikens, of Jacksonville
Mr.. Calls nomoiDaiion now appears *
me i'm possible, and though the dead
lock may continue to the end Of the
session, the solidity of the ants Seems
likely to go with it. Three new votes
went to Call IN last nights caucus; to-
night three may drop from him, and SO
the fume continues.
In new legislation the week has been
prolific, much of which, regret to say,
has been Of q nature to increase rather
than relieve the enormous burdens, un.
der which our taxpayers have too long
lahored Hc.sse Bill No. 215, for exam
pie, allows inspestors aud clerks of
election 81 a day. The enormous ex-
pense attendant upon our last general
election did much to swell the tax roll
and in this bill can see neither rhyme
nor reason. The eyes Of the people are
turned to this legislature for relief, and
fat m hp ds4fS r,f hA
day will, fear, prove dangerous, if not
fatal, TO onr party. Claims OF every
description are pouring in upon the
legislature, every conceivable channel is
used to conduct them hiiher, every con-
ceivable means employed IT, recommend
them TO either the judgments or the
sympathies OF those who are to decide
their tate, a dependent pension bill has
already been passed and though this
measure was opposed both By myself
and others, there is good reason TO fear
it'd success will lead to the introduction
of similar permicious measures. Senate
Bill No. rs, asking that 1878 be appro-
priated for the relief of the Gainesville
Guards. hrs also passed the upper house
and been certified to the lower. This
bill was killed here in 1889 and am
afraid the good fortune with which all
such measures have this year met,
means an unwelcome increase in taxa
ton. 1t is not altogether question Of
equity question of justice. 1t is q
question of what is possible and what
not, that some of the claims brought be-
fore the legislature are just, is true, but
where is the money with which they are
to be met to come from: The poor peo-
pie of this state can answer that ques-
tion, and in their name should be en-
tered q protest against q policy that can
end only in harm.
An important bill introduced into the
senate is that under whose provisions all
bonds, mortgages, notes, ETC., would be
subject to the taxation, which in this
state they too commonly escape. The
bill prohibiting public officials from en-
tering into contracts in which they may
have personal interest, has passed and
is measure that can produce only good.
A bill for the. further protection of me-
chanics is now before the House, and
will, if passed, provide those whose
sole capital lies in their Drawn and mus
Gle with q safeguard they have long
needed.
A bill introduced by myself provides
for the employment Of convicts on the
Dublie roads and hi0hways. Those con-
to the county jail, white per-
sons convicted of felunies aud sentenced
to terms not exceeding 10 years, are re-
ouired to labor upon the public high.
ways during the term of their imprison-
ment. Under the provisions OF this bill,
those convicted of misdemeanors could
only be called upon to labor in the
county where convicted, while those
guilty of felonies could be sent into any
part Of the state. Should this bill be-
come law, it will, / believe, not only
do much to settle the vexed problem of
"road duty" but would reduce and min
imiEe the evils of q convict system,
which seems to me too far behind the
times to receive either tolerance or en-
The bill is, trust, so
framed as TO cover the entire ground,
and it would only be necessary in the
event of Its passage for the commission
eTs OF any given county to make upon
the board of commissioners, q state in
stitutions, requisition for such laborers
as they might require. Under this bill
all communications between state and
county convicts is prohibited, and l can
now see no reason why it might not pro-
fitably be adopted by state which has
certainly lost enough, both directly and
indirectly, by its present antidiluvian
methods of dealing with question at
once difficult and painful.
The passage of the bill may, however,
be difficult. Mr.. Mann, of fernando,
Yesterday introduced a resolution call
Ing for committee to look into the con-
Wet leases. The present lessee pays the
state, believe, about % cents head,
and there are those who believe that
were those unfortuna'es put up to the
highest bidder, as much as so cents O
head might be secured to the state.
This, however, to me seems far from
probable. The present lessee, Ex Sena-
tor Bailey, is said to have lost money,
and his experience will hardly lead to
any such offer as that to which / have
referred
While am TALKING OF economic meas
ures, may as we'll say that my views
on that expensive luxury, the state
board Of health, as given in an interview
in the Jacksonville Standard last Satur-
day, have aroused considerable COM
ment, some Of which is unfavorable. In
defence of my original proposition,
which was that the board should be
abolished. have only to point to these
figures: The boards last report shows
that an annual expense OF $42,869, and
an additional APPROPRIATION to that al
ready made $50000-is calmly recon-
mended by the distinguished gentlemen
who capture germs and smell out the
seeds of disease for their fellow citizens.
1t is also advised that an officer be APP
pointed in each county, whose duty
shall be to collect what are known a.
"vital statistics" at the public expense.
And from all can learn, the presence
of an epidemic would, in view Of the
extraordinary powers conferred upon
this board at once plunge the state into
bankruptcy with which it has long be n
menaced. and sincerely believe that
the abolition the costly and clumsy con-
trivanee would be altogether in the IN
terests of the people.
Our temperance friends will be glad to
learn that q bill has been brought for
ward, making the possession of U. s.
lIQuor license priznG fdcsG evidence that
.he holder thereof is engaged in the traf-
fc. This bill some what resembles the
Maine law upon this subject, and is
aimed at the druggist, who, by paying tc
the genera government license Of but
% cents may now with impunity engage
in traffic for which che regular dealer
under our state Law, PAYS an aggregate Ii
cense of not less than $500. And I am
also glad to say that bill will pass re
quiiing officials, who handle publ,
money, to publish their accounts. 4
long list of measures which / meant II