The Florida star., 1900-09-07
POLITICAL Speaking.
Congressman Davis and Judge Jennings
Discuss State and National Issues.

by our distinguished congressman, Hon.
X. w. Davis, and our next Democratic
governor, Hon. w. S. Jennings. The
weather, rather unfortunately, showed
some cyclonic symptoms, but these did
not deter the people from coming out.
The hall was well filled and large num-
ber present were Of the fairer sex.
On the arrival of the campaign party
In the afternoon they were met AT the
railway station by a committee of our
citizens consisting of Mayor Penney,
Judge Jones, j. G. Jones, c. X. Stewart,
A. A. Stewart, j. X. Walker and +. b.
Wager, editor of TIE STAR, who escorted
them to tie Indian River hotel. The
speakers were also accompanied by Mr..
h. Il. Raulerson, nominee for represent
ative from Brevard county, and DIR. w.
l.. Hughlett, chairman of the county ex-
ecutive committee, and J. +. Wooten.
member of the congressional committee
for this county, and Major +. w. Peabody,
representative of the Times Union and
Citizen.
Eight o'clock had been designated as
the hour for the speaking to commence.
Music, to lend inspiration, patriotic feel
ing and diversion for the occasion, was
rendered by the members of Indian
River band.
Mayor Penney presided over the meet
ing and first introduced DIR. Hughlett,
who, as chairman of the executive COM
mittee, made a short Introductory ad-
dress, touching elOquently on Democratic
principles, imperialism and the urgent
need Of Democrats standing united in
order 10 win in the national struggle in
November.
Hon. w. $. Jennings was next intro
duced by our worthy mayor, and made
most interesting address on questions of
state interest. He first took up the
question of taxation and assessment, and
the necessity of state board of equali-
Zation in order TO secure an equitable
assessment Of properties throughout the
respective counties. He had introduced
bill IN the Legislature to this effect but
It did not pass; people did not seem To
realize the necessity of it, but he would
recommend it to the attention of the next
Legislature. The next question was that
health, DIR. Porter, and the present law,
which has been in force some nine years,
has proven most effective, and was only
broken into when the marine hospital
service set aside our state law OH the plea
of IA war with Spain, and fever was intro
duced into three ports Of this state The
speaker hoped the state law would be up
held and that national legislation would
not be allowed to supplant it.
The cOngested condition of our supreme
court docket Was next referred TO. In
1865 Florida, with population of POO, 600,
had need OF three supreme court Judges.
Now our population had more than
doubled; litigation had been increased in
several WAYS 10y natural causes and rapid
Development since lSSO until the freeze
OF %, still We have only three Judges.
We now need three more Judges. The
suggestion made in the Democratic state
platform Judge Jennings most heartily
approves of, and it should be- adopted a.
speedily - possible, and he will recon-
mend that three more supreme court
judges be- provided Ia expedite business.
The ncNt subject mentioned Mas that
oi education-onc that could not receive
too much Consideration. Our public
schools were declared To be as good as the
public schools of any state, even our
colleges and universities were equal 70 all
the states save a few where the cX-
perIencc OF many years had developed
very high curriculum; but our system
Needs improving. Too much pOwcr i
now given 10 the state superintendent
.eadIng too much towards Capitalization.
law should toe passed To- give more
power 10 the trustees Of schools I'm order
that they may do something for their
own localities. Counties have, in many
Instances, gone into debt, and il don't
seem 10 work well. The tendency tu cen
trallZng power has much ro du with the
imperfect system now IN iurrc
In conclusion Judge Jcuuin.- referred
tp the abumiuabic manner in which the
state convict lease system had been man
aged ever since 1870; how this lease svs-
TEN affects society, taxation and labor.
Ii had been suggested that convict labor
could be- employed 10 best advantage on
improving our public roads, bat the