The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-04-30
FLORIDA LAWMAKERS.
4 Review Of Their Work for the
Las. Week.

the Bills mat are ATTRACTING AZ
tention-The Railroad Commission
People Confdent-The Appointment
of the School Board Some of the
Contests for Seats-Other Matters.
Tallahassee, Fla. April 2S-The feature
of the week has been the arrival here of
Senator Pasco, his formal acceptance OF
the distinguished honor again rendered
him by the legislature of the state, and
the reception of Wednesday night when
the parlors and spacious Hobbies of the
Leon hotel were thronged, and evening
gowns and spi1e-tail coats were at pre-
MUM.
Senator Pasco was accompanied by his
wife and his two accomplished daughters,
and was assisted in the reception of the
guests of the evening by Gov. and Mrs.
Mitchell, DR.. and Mrs, Theodore Turn
bull, Mr. and Mrs John Denham, and
Miss Ida c. May of your own city.
/ believe mention has already been
made in these letters of "the roses that
bloom in the SPRING along these verdant
slopes. If not, the omission is a serious
one, for in NO other direction does ITALIA
hassee so easily cast into the shade her
sister towns. They were out in force
Wednesday night-the roses were,
mean; and the fragrant banks of bloom
that lined the parlors made the most eff
fective of backgrounds for the human
stream that for two hours flowed through
the rooms.
For some reason l have never been able
TO fathom, men who have achieved dis
tinction are popularity supposed TO carry
on what may be called the retail business
of life with a wholesale dignity altogether
removed from every day modern manners.
The belief may be natural it is certainly
erroneous. Big men seldom have big
manners, and nothing has lately pleased
me more than the unaffected simplicity
with which Senator Pasco met the
shower of congratulation and tiattery to
which he has recently been exposed. He
is not great man, but he has had great
good fortune, and in nothing has he been
luckier than in the possession of the
happy art of putting at their ease those
who haven't the knaCk of doing it tol
themselves.
The address delivered to the legislature
at noon yesterday by Mr. Pasco was
thoroughly characteristic. Some men are
eloquent, others try to be. The senator is
not eloquent and does not try to be. A
plain, practical man, versed in affairs, and
not much enamored of rhetoric, he rises
as one might in his own library, upon his
native domestic heath, talking quietly to
his neighbors upon their personal affairs
with neither ostentation nor superfiuities
of speech.
1t is in this manner, I imagine, that
Senator Pasco finds it so easy to cross in
that quiet way of his the slippery
threshold of popular favor He, at least
has never tripped upon it, VIII he ever!
1t is doubtful.
1t is in some such manner as that have
endeavored to Indicate that were touched
upon by MIR. Pasco such political points
as federal appointments-Ove which in
Florida, some slight chagrin reveals itself
the tariff, our chronic Indian war claim;
and the honor involved in his unanimous
election. He paid timely tribute to Gov.
Mitchell's admirab BILE qualities of mind and
heart but did not talk long, and presently
descending from the speakers desk made,
! thought, standing there, dark-skinned
1talian-lOOking man, STOPPING a tritle. and
wearing a long imperial and mustache-
surrounded by his friends and
his family, pleasant picture of political
prosperity based upon the deep founda-
tions of domestic affection.
One of the most notable figures here is
that of ex-State Senator E B Bailey the
lessee of the state convicts 1t is impos-
sible TO say whether Col. Bailey is more
TO be admired for his generosity or his
marvellous energy. The frailest of men in
appearance, he hustles about the thorny
ways of legislation in a manner that |
cannot sufficiently admire, and the style
in which he has this week grappled with
the convict lease problem-as we call it
here in our little legislative way-has
surprised even his most ardent and APP
preciative admirers.
Reduced to its lowest terms, his offer is
as follows: A valuable plantation is to be
decided to the state; a cash deposit of
$4,000 in lieu of a bond is to be made,
which, upon the completion of the con
tract, is to be used by the state, and a
penitentiary, upon the Maryland plan, is
to be erected, which is also to eventually
become the property of the state. In re-
turn for all this he asks ten-years lease,
which he is likely to get, and in which
case question that has long raised doubts
in the thoughtful mind will be definitely
settled for at least that much time
The addition to the legislative list of
two insurance bills has brought here dur
ing the past week the smart and we'll
groomed representatives of the leading
companies These gentlemen have GER
tain well-fed look, an indefinable air of
prosperity and bring to these rustic
shades faint favor of Wall street. They
not only look well, they are looking well
after the bills In question, whose passage
will, they maintain, drive from the state
every reputable company. The House
bill provides in effect that in any cases of
fire the person insured shall collect the
full face value of his policy exemptions,
clauses and contracts to the contrary not
withstanding. The Senate bill provides
that the insurer shall not be al
lowed TO deny that the property
insured is worth the full
amount Of the policy, etc Both are In
the hands of the committees, both have
been very p :operly described as a prem
ium on fraud, and both are, l believe,
doomed to an early death.
The eternal Jacksonville political feud
continues to illustrate in the brightest of
colors the beauties of human folly and
the nature of animosity as a political in
Vestment. You have already learned of
the fate of the substitute for the
new jacksonville charter bill prepared
by the local board of trade. Great things
were predicted for this interesting infant
phenomenon, and its speedy arrival at
maturity was confidently predicted It's
death, however, occurred in the Senate
chamber yesterday under very painful
circumstances The knife was applied
by the tall and thoughtful Williamson of
Citrus county, and the table had the
bill
The original measure win pass the Sen