The weekly true Democrat., 1906-04-13
DRAINAGE TAX
IS HELD UP.
TaKs Newspaper Advice and Back
Down from Their Position. Which
Was the Right ThInG to DO.

Times Union, oJn' by hcIlon OI SONs
N. B. Broward and his Board of Drain
age Commissioners, the collection Of the
special drainage tax imposed to secure
funds for financing Governor BrOward's
pet scheme Of draining the Everglades
has been suspended, pending the final
brought in the United States Circuit
Court, and the tax collectors of the Ave
counties in the special drainage district
have been advised that the State and
county taxes may be paid, without the
payment Of the drainage tax.
That is brief summary OF the news
that was flashed over the wires from
Tallahassee on the 4th, following a
meeting of the Board Of Drainage Com
missioners. It means, In brief, that
Governor Broward has given up his
effort to collect the tax on all lands
not specifically mentioned in the injunc-
tions granted, and that the poor man
will pow be given an equal opportunity
with the corporations.
The action was apparently made nec-
essary by the storm Of indignant protest
raised by the last move of the Governor
and his advisers to force the collection
Of the tax on all lands not mentioned in
| JIiG AAoAAbNA ~ saAAS AON0N1
and it is Furthermore q complete back
down from the position assumed by sup
porters Of the project to the effect that
a severance of the State and county
taxes from the drainage tax was action
that could not be taken by the board.
ACTION ON RESOLUTION.
At the meeting of the Board Of Drain
age Commissioners yesterday there
were present Governor NJ B. Broward,
Comptroller A. c. Groom, Treasurer
William V. Knott, Attorney General W.
H. Ellis and Commissioner Of Agricul-
ture Benjamin McLin.
According to the advices from Talla-
hassee the drainage question was care
fully gone over and the present status
considered. Then the resolution was
offered that the tax collectors Of Dade,
DeSoto, St. Lucie, Osceola and Lee
counties be advised that the board
would consent TO q severance of the
drainage assessment from State and
county taxes, and to defer the collection
of the special drainage tax until the
final determination of the pending suits
This resolution was adopted, and the
tax collectors named instructed in ac-
cordance with its provisions.
This means that at last, after being
practically driven into il by the protests
Of the people Of Florida against the
course originally outlined, Governor
Broward has taken up the usual course,
and agreed TO allow the one case filed
TO be considered as test case, though
the cases that have been filed since then
will probably be pushed to final concln-
sion.
HISTORY OF THE TAX.
This means the suspension of the
Everglades scheme" for the present
at least, though there is apparently
nothing TO prohibit Governor Broward
from continuing the work of building
dredges with the money already on
hand in the Internal Improvement Fund.
: In view of these facts, a brief review
of the entire matter has been asked by
; many, the following synopsis mGy be
1 given:
4 Immediately after the passing Of the
10 law constituting the Board of Drainage
Commissioners and providing for the
levying Of a special acreage tax, for the
J purpose of securing money to finance
the scheme 10 drain the Everglades, the
!, tax was imposed, as authorized.
The Southern States Land & Timber
Co offered 20 pay its State and county
5 taxes, but declined to pay the drainage
tax The State and county taxes were
e refused. the collectors holding that
I they had been instructed to collect all,
{ or nothing.
SUIT IS INSTITUTED.
q The company then instituted suit II
= the United States Circuit Court, pray
u ing the court TO declare the law under
. which the drainage commissioners were
n proceeding TO be unconstitetiOnial, anC
e therefore null and void, and prayinl
e further for injunction, relief, etc
e Judge Locke granted a temporary in
, junction A hearing was then had oI
J. the motion TO dissolve and the court de
y clared the law under which the Drain
age Commissioners were proceeding 4
:, be null and void, and continued the in
II junction.
e Governor Broward and his Drainag,
Board then filed demurrer to the bill
e of complaint, and this was argued ant
y submitted, and later was OveTruled b.
Judge Locke.
y EFFORT TO COLLECT.
In the meantime the board met an,
decided that the collection Of the tax
N being restrained on the lands Of tn
,v Southern States Land & Timber Co
ne only, could be enforced on all othe
=, landa. The tax collectors Of the fV