The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-04-16
FTORIDA'S FAIR CAPITAL
.gz CITY ONE OF THE MOST
QUAINT IN THE SOUTH.

~ the Joint Committee on Finance
.vaited With Interest.
TALLAHASSEE, April I5.-No other town
= Elorida is enriched with trees so noble
~ .hosa Of ancient Tallahassee-in no other
,, che ouies streets wind on their erratic
- With the idyllic charm Of rusticity be-
r.a,b an arch OF living green so broad.
20 many Of our Florida towns lies the
s,,.I han of rawness. They have an air of
,g,borie: their white houses stand
Lilly in the torrid sunshine. the white
and gltters with intoIerabls b-illiancy
"a mon the bare streets is heard the
...il.ot scresoh of the locomotive. The
4 s.,sltv may be- one involved by progress,
d traotsrprise. I am inclined to think it is.
lam quite certain that em not sufficiently
.,srnored OF the conditions above enume-
..,ai 10 ignore the abiding charm of a spot
4 N which may still De found, preserved in
4 ,ba cloude1 amber of to-day, a faint
rsrinisceuce of the Gncien regime.
But what has all this to do with Iegisa-
4 ,ioo with bill, motion and committees? The
Connection may be obscure, but Of its ex-
;s,ancs am certain, and with the revival
4 n the perenulal scheme to remove the state
. csnissl to some spot in South Florida more
in line with what is pleasantly known as
"tbe march of modern Improvement" it
will make itself sufficiently obvious. The
caDitaI may safely be left TO stand where it
is-upon the hill from which it has for 80
may wears and through 80 many vicissi-
tlies. looked down upon rolling field aud
forest. Long association has welded picture
and frame-gem aud setting-hrmly to-
gsther. and in any other place the capitol
Ruildng, with its great columns and deep
portIcos, would inevitably lose half its dig
nifty.
town supports two hotels, the Leon and the
St. James-both good-the first, moiern,
the latter modelled upon the good old plan.
It is of an evening the pleasant custom of
lawmaker and visitor to conGregate upon
the walk before the st. James. which has
long been recognized as the local Rialto
Here one may hear the latest rumor or
doubt the last truth, observe the last ne y
thing in political fashions or enrich his
sprightly mind with "reminiscences. Here,
too come at dusky eve duskier sereuaders
intent upon the legislative nickel, and here,
no longer ago than last night, were these
ars edited by the strains of "Under the
Rose and the Man That Wrote Tara
ra-boom-de-sy," proceeding from throat
of calliope-like power to the punk OF the
joyous banjo.
It is perhaps partly because there is so
little to distract the local stateSman's atten-'
ton here that the legislature now in ses-
sion marches 80 steadily along the lines of
business, pure and simple. The number of
bills introduced has, it is true. besn enor-
nous, but then the slaughter in the COM
mittees has been equally heavy and in this
way the balance has adjusted itself. The
weeks work in the House has, in fact, been
largely in the direction of elimination, and
the process of natural selection has been
seen at its best.
THE NEW MEMBER.
1t is characteristic of the new member
that be should wish to justify his selection
to his constituents, and it is perhaps equally
Characteristic that he should endeavor to do
this by bringing in new bills on old subjects
The error Is one whose innocence renders it
excusable and with the experience already
gained less legislation aud better may here
otter be expected. One Of the most futile
measures thus far relegated to obscurity is
House bill No. Is, ian act to prevent exor-
btant and oppressive costs and attorneys
fees In cases of foreclosure Of mort
gages,n which was yesterday, upon
motion Of Mr.. Clarke of jefferson, himself
lawyer of experience and capacity, in
definitely postponed. But the cold phrases
ology OF the journal can give only the faint
est notion OF the fierce struggle over the
late OF measure whose operation would
have been anything but favorable to the
debtor class. The bill was unfevorably re-
ported by the judiciary committee and a
reflection cast by two Jealous members
upon the personnel OF that commit
tee as perhaps being too largely
legal to be wholly unprejudlced, aroused
the Ire OF Mr.. Fletcher of Duval a member
OF tle committee and lawyer of recognized
standing IN Jacksonville. l may be mis-
taken, but am inclined TO believe that his
spirited retutation of any professional bias
mas liked his standing here as well. The
slnglhg reouke OF the gentleman from De
soto conveyed IN his speech was not I'M
merlted nor was it unappreciated by those
VINO have noted with dismay that gentIe-
man l astonishing capacity for killing time
oo ne order OF the Senate yesterday to print
%oJ copies OF the Jacksonville charter bill
AepV the printers up all night and has prob
aoly caused some sleepless hours in Duval
county as we'll. The passage of Senator
summers bill will be bitterly opposed by
the antl-Stockton faction in Jacksonville.
which is never weary of pointing out its
gross injustice" If the points dwelt upon
10y tne faction in question are well taken,
tue measure is less likely to become a law
Than bone of contention.
no railroad legislation beyond that al
Ieady noted has been introduced. The SEN
aOe committee on railroads has not vet been
~ session because Of the indlsposition Of
Gu4rman McKiunie, and the work in this
I5Iecli N has been that accomplished by Mr..
nIcuelsonS two bills in the House. aud a
lumber introduced yesterday by Senator
~ Cialr-Abrams--one of the most pict-
ulesque and interesting personalities that
nNS ever TAKEN the floor In these halls. He
- man or strong convictions and pro-
ttibouuceu views. and has no great love for
'u' average railroad corporation.
THE AUSTRALIAN BALLOT.
Inc meeting of the joint committee ap-
poLuteu to consider the Australian ballot
ystein, lead to nothing decisive; it will,
however, be followed by others ia due time
b%uen a tAe intricate question involved will
IT, Ue thoroughly ventilated. There can be
av'.e doubt that a radical change 10 the
O.eI'loh law will be made, but the nature
'ue notifications of the original Austral-
- S5s1en that are to be suggested remains
ue report Of the joint committee to ex-
s ~ullue into the financial condition of the
a a,a VIII be awaited with interest. The
~ sSSoJecE Is one OF the first Importance, and
baoIgn the difficulties into which the state
a-a lalIen are not such as to excite grave
~" M ~ Ihey are much too serious to be ig-
'I5Oaol' 1t Is probable that some important
VII yes IN the manner of assessing taxes
r ~ oe made, and much in the way OF
~ Hy"Cs' advice and suggestion is expected
t'ou the meeting of fax assassors which