The weekly true Democrat. (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1905-1912, 1905-11-17
STRONG PLEA FOR
STATE ECONOMY:
Editor Caldwell, Of the Jasper News,
On Ohicial Extravag0nce.

1t would appear to a person of ordi-
nary intelligence that one dollar would
be just as good as another supposing
that the purchasing power were the
same.
But such is not the case at all times,
nor with all people.
Many persons have particular fond
ness, peculiar laundering after, and an
unutterable yearning for, the govern
ment dollar. They are ready and will
ing to forsake all other kinds of dollars
for the sake of possessing the govern
ment dollar.
And, strange to say, the peculiarities
of the government dollar are what
should make it repulsive instead of at
tractive.
Its chief popularity consists in the
fact that 1t is the dollar which is wrung
from people by taxation for unjust, un-
wise and unnecessary purposes, 1t is
composed, too, not only of silver or
gold, but also of the widows mite, the
orphans little savings, the earnings of
the cripple, and the hard labor of the
poor.
1t is but few weeks ago that law
per of national reputation gave up
practice said to be worth $50, 900 year
to accept an Office which doesn't pay as
many hundreds.
Government dollars seem to possess
a strange but powerful influence.
And every time the Legislature Of
Florida meets more and more of these
government dollars are coined and put
in circulation Coined by extravagant
legislation; legislation providing for in
creased expenses, and increased eX,
penses means increased taxation.
Years ago, when the Republicans had
charge of our State government, the
enormous taxes were all attributed to
Republican rascallty. Our cry then
was, Turn the rascals Out!' Just
give honest Democrats a chance and
well show you a government of the
people, for the people and by the peo-
pie, in which no more taxes shall be
levied than are necessary for the eX-
administered.
Since that time our State has doubled
in population and quadrupled in wealth,
but the burden of taxation is greater
than ever.
Honest Democrats are running things,
too.
Just a little while ago the State of
Florida received the payment of her
Indian war claims from the national
government; a sum large enough to have
wiped out our entire State debt and left
a surplus in the treasury, but il wasn't
done. That large sum Is now numbered
with the things that used to be, and the
taxpayers are still paying interest on
large bonded indebtedness.
Extravaganza runs riot at every ses-
sion of the Legislature, and the people
pay the bills.
1t is high time TO put a stop TO it.
But a few years ago it was seriously
proposed that the people Of Florida
should throw away their State capitol
and pay half million Of dollars to build
one somewhere else, solely for the ben
eht of few individuals The people
sat down on that project and they sat
down hard
Now, similar schemes are again on
foot TO eXtort money from the taXpay-
ers, from which the large mass of them
will never receive benefits to the value
of one penny.
The thing for the people to do is to
reject every scheme or proposed project
which has to be supported by taxation
except the necessary expenses of the
. government economically administered.
l, We will have more to say about these
E..A