The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1905-04-09
Proposition to Tax ar
Franchises VIII
Meet with OPP
position.
PROSPECTS ARE THAT SENATOR
BROWN WILL HOLD ms SEAT
NOTWITHSTANDING PROTEST
OF DR.. BAskIN-HIIrE fRIc-
TIoMiN OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES.
.-IsLAEURE.


SpeciaiEfc sThesJournzI.
Tallahassee, April 2.-The legisla-
ture is once more doing business at
the same old stand. and within tnsl
next few weeks may be expedited tos
strike its gait" In earnest. A dull
session is pnophes1e6 By those on@the
outside, but those better informed
look for one of the warnest seances
since 1891. The reasons Tor this be-
lief viii be indicated lateron.
The speakership contest was in its
way novelty. This is by no. means
| the first time that Albert. Gilchrist has
reached out for the gaxel, but it is
the first time that he has had the adj
vantage of a strong organization.
Upon previous occasions General
Gilchrist was totally unprepared. This
year he went fully prepared-fullE
equipped. The lack OF preparation
was all on the other side Watson
had no organization; neither had ex-
Senator Pirrong. Both, however, had
advisers to burn-and, so far as the
last named Is concerned he might as
well have burned some of the advice;
for never did a good man get worse
counsel
had Pirrong come down az The
proper time, he might nave saved
! something out CT the wreck. AS It
was ne held of too long, and Watson
seems TO have been equally illadvised.
John N. c. Stockton was early ON
the scene. but he found his OLD crowd
badly divided While he himself was
for Pirreng, young Judge Bryan, of
Jacksonville-one OF the coming men
of the state-was working, tooth and
mail, for the gentleman from DeSoto.' .
| J. NJ. Bars is also believed to have
been Gilchrist man. though he re-.
NAMED quietly at home in Jackson
vile, while former Governor Jennings
was on the Gilchrist firing line until
the result was practically decided,
throwing all his weight and influence
and few men have more-for the
! DeSoto county candidate.
From all this it may readily be,seen
that nothing could be more unjust
than to look upon the Gilchrist VIC 4
| tory as an administration defeat
1t was nothing of the sort. How could !
it be when some of those who stand
well with the new governor were
found laboring faithfully in the Gil.
christ ranks? Let Us be just, even ~if
we break something"
One word as to whom should be
given the credit for the success at
tending the Gllchrist campaign.
Over six months ago the general
was advised to secure a competent;
manager, and the friend from whom
the suggestion came soon after saw
Major G. p. Healy. the weli-kno1n
Volusia county politician, ana asked
him TO undertake the work of putting
General Gilchrist In the speakers
chair The major consented, and the
deal was finally consummated by this
mutual friend who then stepped down
and out, leaving the Volusia county
veteran to do the work
These are the facts in the case. No
zone knows them TO be such better
than General Gilchrist, who cannot
SAY too much in praiserof the manner
Pin which Major Healy succeeded in
bringing order out Of chaos.
/ started out by saying that this
/ was likely to prove an important scs-
sion of the legislature, in spite of an
4 pearances In the first place, Tia
Everglades proposition is certain To
4 consume much time. and may eventu-
ally lead to some difference of opin-
!! ion. The temperance question already
/ looms up large on the legislative hori-
ION. and several points are likely 70
be raised upon which the lines may
be sharply drawn.
4
The proposition to tax all franchises
granted foreign corporations doing
business in the state. is by no means
a new one. but il has never been put
before the people In such way as to
emphasize its merits The arguments
I IN favor of this innovation is briefly
THAT the franchise is the most vaIu-
/ able item in the outfit Of any corpora
ton. since II involves the right to
exist. operate and exercise s-the right
of eminent domain Without a fran
;, ehise. none of the foreign corporations
now operating in the state could go