The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-05-01
FLORIDA SOLONS
BUSY WITH BILLS
Six More Measures Presented in the House-In
terest in Loftin'S Bill for Laborins Men

Tallahassee, Fla, April 30.-Gen
Gilchrist of DeSoto is fast gaining the
reputation of being one of the most
useful members of the lower house
He is a forceful talker, a man strong
in argument, and while he is no law
yer, possesses considerable legal
knowledge which enables him to sue
bubbles of the disciples of Blackstone
Gen. Gilchrist has vein of humor
and when the occasion demands can
deal out cutting sarcasm. A man OF
high honor and undoubted integrity,
the general scorns to resort to any OF
the petty schemes and devices usual
to politicians.
In the debate over the bill provid-
ing for the purchase by the state of
Florida Of the armory building in Key
West, Gen. Gilchrist undoubtedly
saved the state an immense amount of
trouble in the future. AS the measure
was drawn up and favorably reported
by the committee, the state could not
have used the property for any other
purpose than an armory. The bill in
its original form had been voted ON
but before the result was announced
Gen. Gilchrist took the floor and point
ed out the defect. He then offered an
amendment striking out all after the
word "armory," and substituting the
words land for other purposes" The
IN nFat nAn cd q n
at once went on its passage.
Mr.. Loftins bill to provide for free
school books, was taken up as special
order at 10 o'clock. The bill provides
that the Board of Public Instruction In
each county in the state, shall furnish
and supply. free of charge, to the pu-
pills attending school in such county
who may apply for same, such school
books as are used in the public schools
of said county; provided, however, that
this act shall not apply to any county
in this state until after an election
shall have been held, and majority
of the qualified electors have expressed
themselves in favor of the act 1t also
requires that in case any county adopts
free school books, the purchase shall
be from the lowest bidder, after due
notice by publication in some newspa-
per published in the county.
An amendment was adopted requiring
books used by whites and negroes &c
be kept separately. The bill was or
its second reading, and was ordered en-
crossed.
Only six new bills were introduced in
the House this morning. The most i'm
portant of these follow:
By lothian act to regulate the
kind and size of boats to be used by
bar pilots association of Florida. Also
an act to amend Section $40 and re-
peal Section GAL of Revised Statutes,
relating to bar pilots.
bill by Fihlayson-To regulate tile
hunting of deer, turkeys and other
wild game in Lafayette county.
By Johnson of Iiberty-An act to
provide for the application of the ball
ance of the net proceeds from the hire
of the state prisoners.
By Johnston of Pasco-An act to
provide for the forfeiture of the grant
to the Florida Coast Line and Con-
struction Company.
The Senate has placed itself on rec
ord as favoring temperance, as will he
seen from the passage of Senator
Faulkner's bill to prohibit the sale of
intoxicating liquors within four miles
of public or private school buildings
or houses of worship. The bill as it
passed the Senate and will come before
the House, prescribes that it shall be
unlawful for any person, firm or cor
poration to sell, except in incorporated
towns of over 500 inhabitants, and
cities, any intoxicating liquors, of
whatever character, within a dis
lance of four miles of any public or
private school building, whether said
school shall be in session or not, or CT
any chartered institution of learning,
or of any church building of what
ever denomination.
The bill does not affect in any way
the local option law now in force, nor
does it repeal any part of the law OF
1895, permitting the manufacture and
sale of domestic wines. 1t does not
apply to the sale of liquors to guests
only by hotel proprietors, where such
hotels contain twenty-five rooms or