The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-05-11
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LAWMAKING IN FLORIDA.
The Bill for a Railroad Commission
Killed.


Strong Reply to the Great Speech OF
st. Clair-Abrams-C Charges Of Dis
elimination Refuted.
Tallahassee, Fla, May lO.-The newt
able has come to pass. The handwriting
on the wall has at last been affixed to the
death warrant of Mr.. Williamson's rail-
road commission bill, known in official
circles as Senate bill No. 10. This measure,
Of which so much has been said in vain,
came up this morning to be cut short by
adjournment. St. Clair Abrams argu-
ment of yesterday had raised the high
hopes Of the commission men. Florida
contains no more effective nor powerful
orator than the senator from Lake
county, and the failure Of the bill to pass
is no fault of his. It's defeat is due to the
inherent weakness Of the cause, fact
which was very clearly brought out
by Mr.. Myers of this county
IN a mastery reply this morning. When
the young and handsome senator arose in
his place IT was soon seen that he was
armed at all points and fully prepared for
the arguments of his most dangerous ad-
versaTy on this floor Piece by piece inch
by inch was calmly destroyed the glitter
ing web in which st. Clair Abrams had
hoped to entangle the corporations of the
state. He was answered in detail and in
manner to dispel all doubts as to the
true character of the bill.
A CHARGE REFUTED
Among the sweeping charges made by
Mr.. Abrams was one to the effect that the
Florida Central and Peninsular was dis
eliminating in favor of the wholesale
grocery house of G. 3. Rogers of Jackson
vile owing to the alleged fact that John
II. Henderson, vice president of the road.
ID. E. Maxwell, general manager and N. 4
5. Pennington, traffic manager, were part
ners in said firm. This charge was blown
into deserved oblivion by Mr.. Myers, who
read telegram from the gentlemen COM
cerned denying any such connection in
toto Facts are stubborn things and when
the senator from Leon took his seat 1t was
felt that the fate of the bill was virtually
sealed
He was followed by Mr.. Perrenot Of
Santa Rosa, and Mr.. Marks of Orange,
both of whom spoke against the bill, the
former declaring that while he was open
to conviction he had yet heard nothing to
lead to change of heart on his part.
Mr.. Abrams, however, fought to the last,
and made characteristic reply bringing
in the familiar tale of woe relative to al
legged determinations against Mr.. Bucks
great saw-mill at Ellaville in favor of a
similar establishment nearby, all of which
was held TO have led TO discontinuance
| OF business. The retort was brilliant, as
a matter Of course. The charge was also
| futile, aud had little effect beyond holding
| the attention Of the great throng of spec
tators
A BAD DEFENSE.
After being resumed this afternoon the
debate was OF a somewhat perfunctory
nature Messrs. Weeks and Williamson
10th spoke in behalf of the measure, the
latter declaring that the abolition of the
| former commission was due TO the fact
that Gov. Fleming meditated the APP
pointment Of Hon. f. j. TRAY for the
vacancy. 1t was the worst Of all bad
breaks, and brought to his feet that most
dramatic OF speakers, Mr.. Broome Of
| Gadsden, who declared that he voted for
repeal of the old law yet knew nothing
OF Gov Fleming's intentions, but there
was in all the state no man for whom he
could have voted with more pleasure than
Mr.. TRAY
At the conclusion Of Mr.. Williamson's
last words for his bill the question was
called, the vote was cast it stood as fol-
lows; For the bill 10; against 16. Those
voting gaffirmatively were ,Messrs. Borden,
Calhoun, GenoVar, Mckinney Reeves.
Roseborough, st. Clair-Abrams, Weeks,
Williamson and Wolfe. Those voting.
in the negative were: Messrs. Baya,
Bitch, Bristol, Broome, Farmer, Flem-
ing, Johnson, Mckay, McKenney,
McI4eran, Morrow, Myers, Smith, Thomas,
Wadsworth and Whidden. 10 was blow,
for though the result was not unexpected
the majority was larger than had been
looked for AS the audience poured out
of the narrow door it was felt that the
railroad commission rooster had tapped
its wings the last time this session, fact
afala 10 s.r.1
public sentiment here.
The routine business of the day was
Hat, stale and Improbable.
THE MORRILL, FUND.
Mr.. Reeves introduced a resolution pro-
viding for the appointment of a commits
tee of three to inquire into the manner in
which had been drawn from the treasury
the share in the Morrill, fund Of the negro
colleges
Mr.. ST. Clair-Abrams introduced bill
requiring persons carrying certain kinds
of firearms to take out license; Mr..
Calhoun one Incorporating the Western
Peninsular railroad.
Mr.. Abrams touched the railroads again
with bill requiring majority of the di-
rectors Of any such corporation to be resi-
dents of the state.
Mr.. Wolfe introduced bill providing
for board of telegraph examiners and
regulating runway bclCBIdpu OpcIdbOE5.
Consideration of the report on the
Weels-Martin contest was again deferred,
this time till tomorrow.
IN THE HOUSE.
In the House the time went TO the con-
sideration of bills on second and third
reading Bills were passed providing
abstract books for the several counties:
repeating the section Of the act incorpo-
rating the International Railroad and
Steamship Company, which carried
a land grant; regulating the COM
pensation of county superintendents and
limiting theiI salary to 1900; making
sale Of an entire stock of goods prima
facie evidence of fraud on creditors: or
ganizing the criminal court Of Alachua
county authorizing the state officials TO
deposit the public moneys in the banks
offering the best inducement; abolishing
fees in commitments when indictments
arc not found or an information Is found.
The bill reducing the mileageof sherifs
was lost, but that taxing bank stocks
passed.