The Florida star., 1900-09-21
IN FAVOR OF JACKSONVILLE.
The Metropolis Orators For Capital Re
moVal spoks Here "wednesday.


of capital removal to Jacksonville here
Wednesday and yesterday in the persons
of Col. Duncan u. Fletcher and Judge
George NJ. Nolan, of Jacksonville, who
addressed the people of this place on the
necessity of a new capital building, and
spoke in favor of its location ut Jackson
vile, the metropolis.
Col. Fletcher and Judge Nolan are Civ
ing this entire week 70 the east coast,
starting at Miami Monday and ending
Saturday at Green Cove Springs. Yes
terday they spoke at Daytona, today at
| Palatka.
The opera house Wednesday night W as
quite we'll filled, and especially noticeable
was the number of ladies' present, who,
no doubt, responded to the special invl-
tation sent out by request of Judge Nolan
on the street dodgers circulated that af-
| ternoOn.
Mayor Penney was introduced to the
audience by Mr.. Wade Jones, member
of the Democratic county executive COM
mittee, as chairman for the evening.
| Mayor Penney, in a few appropriate re-
marks, introduced as the first speaker
! Col ID. L. Fletcher. This distinguished
jacksonville orator presented the whole
question of capital removal in a most
logical and convincing manner to the
people of this place, starting back to the
time when Florida was ceded TO the
United States, and was received as a ter
ritory, down to the present time, show
! ing florida has never expended Il dollar
towards capital building-the present
structure having been built by the gen
eral government shortly after Florida
became territory.
! The speaker then referred TO the fact
that very much the larger proportion of
population and taxable property was now
in counties east of the Suwannee river
! He explained that bonding the state for
a capital building was not at all neces-
sary, that a One-mill additional state tax
would provide annually about 100000
toward a capital fund, which III three
years (the time necessary To change the
site in accordance with the constitution
would provide $500, 900, To which must
be added the 100000 donated by Jack
sonvIlle, which would be ample unless
the people of Florida wanted To expend
larger sum on capital building.
This One-mill tax would only require
the payment of one dollar extra state tax
by a person owning property TO the value
of 81, 600, a. property all over the state is
generally assessed ut One-third its actual
value. Thus if a taxpayer owned prop
erty to the value of 81 900 he would only
be called upon to pay 33 cents additional
tax per year to provide "A creditable cap.
ital building for the state for say three
years.
Col. Fletcher stated that the Democrat
ic party was pledged TO either build Il
new capitol building at some site To be
selected by the white Democratic voter,
of Florida, or to repair and enlarge tha
old capitol bullding at Tallahassee, anr
+ that on account of the inciliciency Of tht
present building, So far as he was con
cerned. ii the site WAS maintained at Tai
, lahassec he would he in favor of a new
capitol building rather than patch up the
old one.
Col. Fletcher also called attention tC
the accessibility of Jacksonville by tn,
numerous IdliipdOS lIplil dil StCNlplIS -
. the state, whereas now person can NOR,
quickly reach the capital of Georgia iron
} the east coast than they can the capita
= of their own state. Five railroad sys
= TENS lead there, which now maintain
: some forty trains per day arriving anC
. leaving, which, i'm the winter season, j.
, increased To something like seventy-tve
+ The speaker pointed out that a vot,
east for either O,9lla or -. Augustine wa
virtually a vote east in favor of TallahaS
Zee. a. neither of these places stood any
show of winning, and that their action
Was maintained more with the intention
of Keeping Jacksonville fr IN winniu. ]
t puS~ibl-. with the ultimate nope tha
= they might develop stronger case in th,
i near future. but II Was the speaker
j. opinion that the decision this fall woul,
q settle the question for many years, con
: Stquentlv THESE two places ought not 1
! oppose Il site which was far preferable {,
! the people of even their own cities than
= the present location.
: Our space will not permit our men
o tioning but few of the most importan
Z points presented by Col. Fletcher, bu
Il his argument was such rs To win the mos
: obdurate opponent OF jacksonville To- hi
side, and the sentiment of the audienc
showed that TItusville could be relic,