The evening times., 1900-09-24

S1,OOO,oOO-The Issue Said TO Have
Been Forced Into the Campaign.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. Sept 24.-The con
test over the future location of FIorida's
seat OF government has developed into the
most exciting political battle this State
has witnessed in many years.
In a peculiar sense it is more of cam
paign of education than has ever before
been waged on this field for the FOUR cit
les which are candidates for the State
capital are each. in their efforts to prove
themselves the best suited place for this
honor spending very considerable sum
of money to inform the people of the his
tory, resources, and needs OF the State
Three of the largest and most progress
siye cities in the State have entered the
contest to wrest the capital from ITALIA
hassee They are Jacksonville ST. Angus
tine and Oeala- Each of these places is
somewhat nearer the present centre of
the States population than is Tallahassee,
and the consequent argument of greater
accessibility is the leading ground urged
by each for asking that it be made the
seat OF government. The other argument
used in common by the several advocates
Of capital removal is the allegation that
the present State House in Tallahassee is
now inadequate for the proper transaction
OF public business and that 1t is not large
and handsome enough for modern Florida.
Tallahassee, the present capital city, is
making strong fight to retain the States
seat of government. Her. friends deny
that Tallahassee is so inaccessible as to
Justify the great expense which capital
removal would entail. and they insist
that the present State House is large
enough TO meet all the needs. Jackson
vile, st. Augustine and Ocala each offers
a suitable site and cash bonus tor the
capital. Jacksonville promises $IG0 .0oo
bonus Ocala $I25.000 ami st. Augustine
$3.50. .000
The most conservative estimate as to
the cost the taxpayers would have to
bear if the seat OF government is moved
and new State buildings erected is 81 600
GOO How much more would be spent be-
fore the new buildings would be turned
over to the State, in the event of removal.
is a matter of speculation.
To raise $1,000, Geo. bonds for that
amount Will have to be issued. The pres
ent bonded Indebtedness Of the State Of
Florida is 81 0S2, SEQ. so the proposed is
sue of 81 000. eco of bonds fer a new capi-
tol would be almost doubling the States
debt The chief point Of discussion in the
present capital location fight is whether
or not it is at this time advisable or ne
cessary TO incur this additional debt.
which would mean about SS0,GG0 addi-
tionaI taxes to be paid annually. The as
sessed valuation OF all property III Flori-
da in 1899 real and personal was $685.,
400 COO
Many persons regard tAe present aeita-
ticn and contest as unfortunate. Uncalled
for. untimely and unnecessary. Much dis
cussfon is heard of the irregular way in
which the issue was placed before the
people for decision, and this seems to be
having 4-ueh weight in determining the
attitude of voters The Democratic State
Convention held in Jacksonville last
June inserted the following plank i'll its
platform:
The question Of the removal of the
seat of State Government and as to the
holding of a Constitutional Convention
should be settled by the white Democrtic
electors of the State at a primary cleo
ton to be held at the time of holding the
State election, November 6, 1900, to be
participated in by only white Democrats,
who in said general election. shall have
voted for the candidates of this eonven-
ton"
Efforts have at various times been made
by different cities of the State 10 secure
the State capital for a particular locality,
but never with success. There was dis
cussion of capital removal in the Lesis-
lature of 1899, as there had previously
been during the sessions of 1881, 1891, 1898
and 1897 but the removal propositions
were always defeated
The people of the State nave never be-
fore discussed the proposition as a State
issue, and. it is argued. they did not au-
thorize the delegates sent to the last State
Convention to make 1t an issue this year
Some of those who desire to have the capt.
tai removed TO jacksonville it is charged,
ock advantage of the peculiar political
conditions at the State Convention and
J tErust the matter upon the people when
the large majority Of the delegates would
have been embarrassed in the support of
their candidates for Governor if they had
ventured TO antdgoniZe the submission OF
the question of the white Democrats at the
November primary
The issue was put through The commit
tee on platform and resolutions and whei,
that document was presented to the con
vention there were five candidates before
the convention seeking the Democratic
nomination for Governor. Duva1 county, II,
which is the city of Jacksonville had
twenty-five delegates in that convention
which with others as naturally stand with
Duval under such conditions, made for
midabIe number of votes eagerly sought
by the friends of the gubernatorial candi-
dates. This, of course arrayed the field
against Leon county in which is .Talla-
hassee. the present capital, for Leon had
in Frederick T. Myers, candidate for
Governor, and her fourteen votes were
pledged to her own candidate, while the
Duval votes were free.
This necessarily gave Jacksonville an ad-
vantage and upon the issue of submission
10 primary of white Democrats none OF
the friends of the several candidates, ex-
cept those for the Tallahassee man, eoula
refuse to submit the question 1t was not
surprising, under these eonditiors, that
!te vote in the convention in favor of sub
mission TO primaries was so large, for tina
friends of the measure urged that it yaa
simply a question of submitting to the
white Democratic voters for their expre>-
sion a matter which should ecme before
the Legislature in regular ordsf
The opinion is frequently expressed that