The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-04-29
THE RAILROAD COMMISSION BILL.
1t Is Attracting n Great Deal of At
tcntiOR in the Florida Legislature.


Tallahassee. Fla, April 2S.-Whatever
else the railroad commission men have
done here in Tallahassee, they have sup
piled their bill with seven-league boots
that are certain TO carry it through the
House. This bill-with its elective clause
and all the rest of its populistic features
unimpaired-has now gone through the
second reading and has been ordered en-
crossed. The fight has developed some
very peculiar phases, and perhaps the
most surprising thing in the entire de-
bate has been the manner in which the
intToducer of the measure has held the
field against all corners. For many years
Maj. G. p. Healy has been a prominent
figure in Florida. Orange grower. rail-
road man. and an all-round man of the
world, it is not at al surprising that he
should have sharpened his wits; but to
tell the truth, nobody expected TO ind
him assisting an anti-ratlroad measure,
such as this, through the Legislature.
If the tempest in a teapot set about
at least given some of the silent MEM
bers on the floor an opportunity TO in
dictate their ability. One of the best and
brightest speeches made was that deltV-
cred by Brown of Marion, a gentleman
who has a considerable reputation for
hard sense of the kind called common,
of oratorical ability. 1t was just after
Speaker Jennings had taken the floor, and
in ringing tones declared his opposition to
the bill, that the gentleman from Marion
got in his fine work. The speaker had
opposed the measure on economic
grounds; he had dwelt upon the poverty,
must fall the burden of taxation involved
in the commission He had talked of
the orange crop, the cost, the futility,
of the old commission, and had concluded
by moving an amendment to the effect
that his county of fernando be exempt
from the operations of the bill.
This was Browns opportunity, and in
a few clear-cut and incisive phases he
exposed the fallacies advanced as argd-
ments whose validity were not open to
suspicion by the oppositioni and declared
that inside of two years those who now
opposed the bill under consideration
would be glad to crawl back under its pro-
lection.
Plummer of Duval was another men,
Der who broke a long-continued silence
to some purpose during the debate when
he declared that the amendments offered
were designed only ito cut the heart out
of the BILL" and that in voting them down
he represented, not his pro rata share,
but all of the electors of his county.
So far as the amendments in question
go, there is perhaps something to be said
on both sides. Healy and his friends de-
clare that they were introduced only to
kin the bill, while those in the opposition
say that they were actuated simply by a
desire to ease the heavy load through the
it will die a natural death long before 1t
reaches the governors Office.
The Crawford episode last Tuesday was
a spectacular performance, and any at
tempt to impeach the venerable secretary
of state would have made him the next
governor. The performance of the House
unpn this theme is not much admired b.
those who put consistency above eXpedi-
ency Not satisfied with passing a red-hor
resolution OF censure against Mr.. Craw-
ford, the House found it NECESSARY a few
minutes later to accept his statement as
a full and sufficient explanation. The gen.
eral impression here is that DR.. Crawford
knows what he is talking about, but that
he has been somewhat indescreet in Civ
ing up his treasures. II has been by long
odds the most exciting episode of the ses
sion and WAS made the occasion of several
highly infammatory speeches. The score
tary Of state. meanwhile, pursues the even
tenor of his way, and as he belongs to the
anti-railroad faction, is not at all likely
10 want for friends
The Senate has been toying with new
election law and many disastrous amend
ments have been tackled on to a measure
that was. at best. none too radical
The bill apprOpriatinR s2500 for a state
exhibit at the Cotton States fair is dead
and the people OF Florida must, as usuai,
look 20 the railroads for help.