The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1906-12-21
THE TRUSTEES AT WORK.

fund were severely iOlted by the de-
feat Of the drainage amendment
They were placed in an embarass-
ing position, because the loss Of the
money they expected 10 derive from
the special TAX. brought them face to
face with a dilemma which, as usual,
had two horns.
Horn No. l, was to stop the work.
tie up the finished dredge and sus-
pend operations On the unfinished
one.
Horn No. 2, was 20 sell the public
lands in their charge al the low price
offered for oyerfowed lands and keep
the work going On.
Either one Of these horns looked
wicked enough TO scare the average
official with sacred trust 70 per
form, for the correct discharge Of
which he was responsible 10 his con
science and 10 the people.
And the trustees gave the diem
ma much anxious thought as they
looked at the Two horns presented 70
them.
If they took hold Of the first and
abandoned the work, they would have
the consciousness Of duty unperform-
ed. They are directed by Law TO car
r. On the work Of drainage and recla-
nation, which Law has been affirmed
by judicial decisions and had not been
affected by the vote on the drainage
amendment.
If they took hold of the second horn
and sold overdOwed land al low
price to get money 10 carry out their
obligations to drain, they would do
the thing their judgment told them
was not the best thing 10 do.
At several meetings I attended the
trustees discussed the matter ear
nestly and suggestions were offered 10
Overcome the dilemma Chief among
these was the one made by Mr.
Groom, to the governor. The Comp
troller proposed that the governor
call the legislature together in extra
session and ask it TO provide money I
to continue the work Of drainage. As
the governor alone had this power, !
he alone would have borne the re-
sponsibility. He declared against it, /
for the reason that no necessity ex- /
listed for the expenditure Of twenty 1
thousand dollars Of public money He /
said tina the trustees had as much /
law Eow as any legislature called /
could give them.
The law taxing the lands benefited 1
was still in force, and when the courts 1
decided the constitutiOnality of the
act, the trustees could. proceed as /
drainage commissioners 10 tax and /
drain He reminded the other trus-
tees that the only question decided /
by the vote at the recent election I.
wSg the one Of making the drainage |
aci a part Of the constitution. He |
said that the trustees could proceed /
" It'll the work Of reclamation as trus-
trees and that it was their sworn duty |
to do so. The full power to sell lands
and apply the proceeds TO drainage
and reclamation still existed in the
hands of the trustees.
Mr.. Ellis agreed with the governor
as tc the power and duty Of the trus-
tees. He expressed himself in this
language: I'VE got ourselves in a
hole believing we were right, and if
we were right then, WE ARE RIGHT |
NOW"
Then came the solution TO the diff
ficulty which enabled the trustees to
escape both horns Of the dilemma.
At meeting held last Saturday
the proposition from the Florida Coast
Line and Transportation company
was accepted. This is detailed at
length and in full in the story printed
in this issue.
The trustees have the money neces-
sary to carry on drainage operations
without selling any overfOwed land
a. low prices
And this money was saved to the
state by the action of the trustees in
refused to deed lands recklessly
granted by legislatures past and gone.
This happy contamination by which
the great work of reclamation was
reduced to the present tense from
the sometime distant and uncertain |
future, MAS made possible by the We
to by Governor Broward Of the bill |
passed last session. extending the |
time for completion of the canal.
TIL TopaI rpropany VOC WILLING