The Weekly Tallahasseean., 1900-11-08

for this. The reasons in the case of
Louisiana apply with equal force to
all others. The danger of capture in
case of war was also cited. During
the civil war the seaport cities of this
State were captured several times by
the Federal forces, but all efforts to
capture the Capital failed.
01'he political discord constantly
prevailing in Jacksonville is another
strong reason against locating the
Capital there. This state of discord
would soon be infused into the en-
tire political structure.
"And why should the Capital be
removed? He refuted the claims
that the building is an old rookery,
insecure, inadequate, ETC., and in this
connection dealt Robert McNamee,
one of the Jacksonville orators, sew
eral telling raps. The speaker said
he was born within one block of the
Capital and had spent his entire life
in that home. For the past ten
years he has been his county repre-
sentative in the State Senate, and
prior to that time had been in the
public service. Consequently he was
as well qualified to speak of the
character and condition of the build
ing as anyone, except possibly an
architect. He declared the building
sound and safe in every detail and ade-
quate for the accommodation of the
public business. He took up the
charges on this point seriatim and
disprOved each.
''On the point of accessibility the
speaker indulged in a joke at his
own expense. He said the Demo-
Gratis of Florida cared nothing about
the matter of accessibility. They
demonstrated this at the State Con-
vention. Of the five candidates for
governor, he was the most accesSi-
bic residing just across the street
from the capitOl-and yet the Dern-
ocrats went up on sidetrack in
fernando county for the candidate.
"DiscuSSing the cash inducements
offered by the various candidates
for the removal of the capital he
said it would seem that our capital
was up at public auction. But none
Of the offers are of real value. The
constitution stands as a barrieT-it
says municipalities cannot impose
taxation except for municipal pur-
poses.
''The Jacksonville orators declare
that the State will not have TO ex-
pend more than 100000, if that
much, when talking to the general
public. And yet Frank Clark ad-
dressing a crowd of workingmen in
Jacksonville recently told them it
meant the expenditure of S5O0,O0O
to 81, 100000, and an annual expen-
diture of 100000 for all time to
come.
ssHe closed with an eloquent ap-
peal for the protection of the tax
payers of Florida from the imposi-
ton of this heavy burden, and re-
cited the terrible disasters suffered
by the people of the State in recent
years.
"Senator Myers made a profound
impression on the large audienceI
carrying conviction with every ut
terance.
"Senator Palmer'S introduction Of
Judge Raney was highly complii
mentary, and the distinguished gen;
tleman fully verified all claims
His argument was on the legal
phases of the question, and he lit
orally riddled the cheap politieianI
who had engineered the bckemy
thus far.
"The bonuses are offered, he del
clared, to overcome public sent5
ment.
"He exposed the duplicity of tn
Constitutional Convention scheme
This is really also capital remOva|
scheme catch 'em comm an
g'wine arrangement. If we dent re
pudiate these propositions, we wi
find that the Democratic party ha..
put its great big foot in trap.
"This whole thing has grown on
of the political aspirations of fe ]
men.
Judge Raney's perOratiOn va
magnificent. He first came I
Tampa early in 1870 and had watchel
its growth with the deepest intereII
and Solicitude. Now he is linked Il
us by the strongest human tie. He'd
his tirst-born has located and VIZ
probably spend the remainder of hs
days and be buried.
''Let the Capital remain in Tall}
hassee. 1t has been there mars
8 years, and thank God the honor T !
the State has never been tarnishd
= AL, lool oE - l..