The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1904-02-05

WASHINGTON. =. C.. Jan p 1871
Hon. IS. :. Jennings, Tallahassee. Fla.
NV Dear Slr-Your letter ot January 4
Iostmarked the tth, reached me ia Jack
scnyille January 8. ! would have replied
At once. but was prevented by au un-
usual pressure OK public business. atteH-
ton 70 which I regard as Of more lmpor-
lance than writing political letters.
avail myself Of the opportunity nov. now
ever. and take occasion. TO give you some
Information about my record. which YOU
seem so sadly to need, and which viii
serve ! hope, 10 correct the astounding
statements You boast Of having made IN
sour recent public speeches.
[ take up your letter IN the order OF It's
statements
In making the statement I did viz.
Governor Jennings says have done
nothing since I have been in Congress,
there was no intention 70 do you injustice.
Several gentlemen Of unquestioned integ-
rity and veracity informed me- both be-
fore and after the publication Of the Ocala
Banner letter. that you had said as much
20 them. and / will give you their names.
should you desire il. While you dlSclaim
ever having used that language. its sub
stance or equivalent, your letter. 10 my
mind. is in Itself the equivalent Of that
language.
You devote much space to the Florida
Indian war claim. II is a simple matter.
and "A plethora Of words and phrases will
not mislead the public The claim had been
standing for over forty years. The people
Of Florida know this. and they know. too
when and by whom the provision for its
payment was finally passed through Con
greSS. I have never claimed the credit for
myself. nor denied 70 others the credit due
them. You cannot go further than ] IN
commencing the earnest and intelligent
efforts Of Senator PaScO and other mem
bers Of both branches Of Congress who
preceded me here. 7 have stated repeatedly
that on entering Congress in 1890. 7 found
m the Senate files. as a result Of their
painEtakng work. much valuable data
which contributed no little II the passage
If the measure. and indeed. for my part.
I even accorded 10 YOU credit for the per
'unctory part you played in taking the
warrant home.
Some Pertinent QuetiOns.
Are Won taking especial pT7de in the fact
Chat the Indian war claim was collected
during vour administration And aro yon
rffering that 10 the people Of Florida rs
something with which Won are especially
- he credited? To Won forget. or did Won
know. that Governor Drew and Governor
RIoxham. and Governor Perry. and Gov
urnor Fleming. and Governor Mitchell all
exercised the greatest energy i'm urging
this matter upon Congress each in his
day. and that al of thom. perhaps. made
greater effort in this direction than You
nave been known TO do? DO you realize
that If the claim was not collected during
either Of the administrations ] have named
u was not the fault Of those distinguished
md much-loved sons Of Florida, and that
the final collection Of the claim reflects
no more credit upon YOU than upon them?
In connection with this Indian war claim.
shy is il THAI You seek TO have me say
that the aggregate Of the van ious apprO-.
F1v. v-iy af
would lower the taxes and lessen the
burden Of all the people" You must know
that 7 confined my remarks specifically
10 the amount contemplated in the total
Cf the Indian war claim. VIZ. and 10 be
exact S1.o73. Sc. The language Of my
fetter. quoted in yours. is plain and IN
mistakable I mentioned that the total ap-
obtained for Florida were
about s410O000. and then said:
"This means more than s. per capita for
overv man. woman and child in the State
Of Florida. and the collection Of the In
hian war claim. provided the affairs Of
state are administered wisely and hon
estly should have the effect of lowering
taxes and lessening the burdens or all the
people.
7 reiterate now that every dollar Of the
Indian War claim-S1 ,073, $50 66-should haveI
the effect Of lowering taxes and lesseningl
the burdens Of all the people; and, while
i
every dollar OF the total OF approximations
for Florida does it's part I'm lesseninc \
the burdens Of all the people.
DO YOU contend that the Improvement
Of rivers and harbors does not make new
and competing avenues Of commerce aud
thus lessen the rates OF freight?
DO you contend that high rates OIL
freight are not burden on all the peo-
pie?
DO you contend that the money spent,
either in improvements of this kind orr
upon public buildings. does not add 10 the
Of wOrkmen. artisans and conf
tractors does not find its way into al
avenues Of trade and does not lessen tn.
burdens Of all as well as add 10 the pros
perity OF all?
Do you contend that the eight dollars 4
month In pensions for the brave sOliieraI,
Of the Seminole Indian war Of 1S56-5S. whoI'
risked their lives i'm the common defense,
and the aged and ofttimes destitute L
widows OF the soldiers Of that war is nO.Ii
A sOlace and n comfort TO them i'm their ol6h
age and a lessening Of their burdens? /
Strange Indeed.
If you do your position is strange indeed.
20 strange that I venture there are but
few, if any, in Florida who will agree with
YOU But ] will admit that your confer. I
Ton generally on this position is in entire
harmony with your most unaccountlb bic Ia
statement that Of the 81 .073. $50 IS cOIeCted.I
Nm account of the Indian War claim oniy.I
'430. S}3 is applicable to lowering the taxes
and lessening the burdens Of all the peo-|
pie You say that by Legislative action Is
1pOn your recommendation. this was APP.
piled to the States bonded debt Do youI;
mean to say that If there had been no,
recommendation and no Legislative action
the State would not have been better of
10 the extent Of the sum collected? But tell,
ne, please. what became Of the differenceIl
between that sum you mention and thcI,
Il orb $50 66? Was Il not paid 10 the people,
" Florida. either in money or by settle-l
nent of the States bonded indebtednessIi
10 the Government and the accrued interest
thereon? And If so paid, does not thatle
essen the burdens and lower the taxes OF
al the people?
The State owed the national Government
u bonds and interest $3.50. &c. BY act OF
Congress, approved March 3. 1893 (beforc
ny election TO the Senate). the Secretary :
" the Treasury was authorized and dI-
'ected to proceed for the collection of|c
State bonds owned by the Government &
where there was default on the part OF
such State in the payment Of interest
Under this act the Acknowledgement
threatened suit. The claim Of the Gov 4
.rnmant was a claim n and equity 5