The weekly true Democrat. (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1905-1912, 1905-04-21
TnR WAILES-pEARD CLAIll.

cate the payment OF the Wailes-Beard
claim, and IL we are interested IN it.
VIC desire TO say, in the most emphatic
manner, that we have no more interest
in It, personal or financial, than any
other good citizen of Florida should
have.
We believe, without a single doubt,
that the contract with Mr.. WALES was
and is bona fde one; that he performed
faithfully, honestly and effectively his
part Of the difficult task of securing the
evidence, preparing the case, causing a
true account Of the States claim TO be
stated by the accounting officers of the
Federal government and enabling the
procuring of final settlement Of the
claim by COnRress-a statement which
was the basis on which final settlement
was made; that through his efforts, and
those of the late Col w. X. Beard work
ing with and under him at his expense,
the people Of Florida recovered what was
so long due them, and that now the State
should carry out its part Of the contract
in like good faith, and pay Mr.. Wales
every cent Of the commission contracted
for.
How can any conscientious and right
minded citizen doubt the business Of this
claim when it is guaranteed, in the most
positive and unreserved terms, by such
honorable and well-beloved citizens as
the late DR.. John l.. Crawford, Secre-
tary Of State during almost the entire
period covered by the existence of the
Wales contract; the venerable and H.
lustrious Ex-Governor VIM. ID. BlOxham,
Secretary Of State during Drew's adj
mnistration, in which the contract was
made, and twice Governor of Florida;
the late Ex-Governor Geo. F.. Drew,
under whose brilliant leadership Florida
was rescued from the hands Of the car
pet-bagRers, and who himself executed
the Wales contract and appointed him
TO the work he has done 80 well, as shown
by their letters TO Colonel Wales; the
late Ex-Governor r. A. Perry, whose
official career was signalzed by rare
ard afectionate devotion to the inter
ests Of the State he loved so much; the
late and hghly-honOred Ex-Governor
Henry l.. Mitchell, whose rugged and
Incorporating honesty was a proverb
among his admiring fellow-citizens; the
intrepid Ex-Governor Francis p. Elem
ing, whose administration gave 70 Flor
ida, among many other excellent things,
the State Board of Health; those able
and distinguished citizens who have so
brilliantly represented Florida in the
halls of the Congress Senators PascO
and Mallory and TaIiaferro, az d Repre-
sentatives Bullock, Dougherty, David
son, Sparkman and Davis. Besides
these, many of the best lawyers Of the
State have voluntarily pronounced their
opinion strongly upholding the position
Of Colonel Wales in this matter, among
whom are u. S, District Attorney VIM.
Il Sheppard, Judge John c. Avery and
Hon. j. j. Sullivan, of Pensacola, and
Messrs. Alex. st. Clair Abrams, CrOm.
well Gibbons and Horatio Bisbee. of
Jacksonville; while attached to the SEN
ate minority report on the matter, made
the last session Of the Legislature, and
powerfully advocating the payment in
full Of this just obligation, are the names
Of Senators w Hunt Harris, VIM. A.
MacWilliams and W. A. Blount. That
of Mr.. Blount, who admittedly stands at
the head Of the Florida bar, is Of itself
enough to carry conviction to any reas-
enable mind.
The vital question in the matter now
il, Has the State Of Florida any more
right, morally or otherwise, to repudiate
just and honest obligation than would
private citizen? II not, let her pay
the claim, and by so doing prevent an
injustice being done to those who have
fairly earned what they claim, and also
prevent foul blot upon the proud and
hOn0fcd name Of Florida Florida must
not be cassed among repudiators.
II may be said that, with so many
claims pressing for recognition and APP
preparations, the State may he hard
pushed to meet them all That does not
alter the case. BY voting at the last
session to pay $25, 900 on the claim. the
Legislature in effect admitted the just
ness of the entire claim and ia Ia too