The weekly true Democrat. (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1905-1912, 1906-04-20
rAxEp EoR Hls OWN INIuRY.


drainage tax. He has 100 acres Of land
at the mouth of New river, which is
sometimes overhowed By high tides
from the ocean. Draining cannot pre-
vent these tides or protect this land
from them.
1t is proposed to drain large part of
the Everglades into New river. Of
course, this will increase the flow of
the river and make the inundation of
this land more frequent. And yet Mr..
Graham is taxed to inflict this damage
on himself and he is taxed as much to
thus injure himself as the State tax
proper would be on property worth
IS, OOO
Mr.. Graham says that many if not
most of the lands owned by private par
ties and assessed for drainage in Dade
county are overlooked lands only be-
cause of the Entertainments of the sea,
which cannot be prevented by drainage.
No man can claim for a moment that
such tax is just, and to say that the
State can impose it is to assert that it
may confscate the property of its citi-
Zens.
Mr. Graham's comparison of the
status Of the owners of lands in the
drainage district with that Of the people
of Gainesville is just 1t is said that
the men who own overlooked lands
would be benefited by drainage, there
fore, pass bill subjecting them to tax
alton. The people of Gainesville will
be benefited by the establishment there
Of the State University but who will
say bill imposing on them a special
tax would stand the tests of the courts.
When the capital was located at ITALIA
hassee the people of that city and of
the surrounding country were not spec
tally taxed to build it, and could not
have had a special tax imposed on them
for that purpose.
And yet these people would all have
been benefited by the work of the State,
while of the owners of swamp and
overflowed lands, some would be bene-
flied by the work when zone, others
would be neither benefited nor injured,
while still others would be injured still
all would be taxed and not in proper
ton to the value of their lands or to
the benefits received, but in proportion
to the number of acres owned. An UNI
just drainage law should not have been
enacted by the Legislature. We do not
believe it will be approved by the peo-
pie, but if it should be, the Federal
courts will still have something to say
about it,
The question the people are asking
themselves all over the State is where
and how did Jennings get all his money.
Can't Brother Collins of the Tallahas-
see True Democrat, tell a suffering
people. -Volusia Record.
The right kind of men, and the right
kind of investigating committees at the
next session of the Legislature may be
enabled to unearth some startling
things along several lines. Let each
county be careful in selecting it's Sena-
COTS ana representatives
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The Tallahassee True Democrat will
probably soon change to a daily. We
wish the paper much success, and are
glad that its prosperity justifes the
proposed change Collins is a brilliant
editor, real newspaper man. We adj
mre his fine talents and courage, but
cannot agree with him on all of his po-
sitions on the political situation We
wish the True Democrat abundant sue
cess. - Brooksville Argus.
Thanks, brother; all honest men can
have a difference Of opinion and still be
friends. Every man should be willing
to let his fellow man have an honest
opinion, and few, except a political boss
of the worst type, wishes to own others
in thought, soul and body That kind
have use for you as long as they can
use or play you; but what a change in .
the morning" when one rebels, becomes
to think and act for ones self. then
that kind Of friend puts you down as
well, as traitor-jus because you
have ceased to be political tool or ally. /.
But the world moves on just the same /
We. too, wish the editor of the Argus, .
whom we know well, an abundant sue .
cess, long life, and much happiness and
prosperity.
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Governor Broward will never prove