The weekly true Democrat. (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1905-1912, 1906-08-24
DRAINAGE DEBATE At PENSACOLA.

schedule. A large crowd, composed al
most exclusively Of PensacOlians and
including many ladies, assembled at
Seville Square, where perfect arrange
ments and ample seating had been pro-
vided by the committee. 1t was said
that the audience numbered between
/, 800 and 1000.
AS the visiting speaker, at the sug-
gestion Of his opponent, Governor Brow
ard WAS accorded the privilege of open
ing and closing, each address in chief
to occupy one hour, and the third, half
an hour. Under such an arrangement,
among lawyers at the bar, it is an I'M
written law that the leading speaker
shall open the entire case, but not being
a lawyer, Mr.. Broward probably did
not realize the injustice he was doing
10 his opponent by reserving much new
matter for his final address, TO which,
OF course, Mr. Beard had no opportunity
TO reply. The Governors first speech
occupied something more than an hour,
and his closing nearly two hours, while
Mr.. Beard spoke a little less than an
hour.
Governor Broward spoke earnestly
and forcefully. He is, 80 to speak, sat
urated with drainage lore, and senti-
mental admiration for a high official
made his audience unusually responsive
and attentive, while their familiarity
with Mr.. Boards we'll known senti-
ments on all public questions Including
drainage) made them equally responsive
and demOnstrative in recognizing his
acknowledged ability and skill as a
forensic debater
The Governors opening address,
while it was, as we have said, lacking
in some of the elements of detail with
which he treated his subject in closing,
was chiefly repetition Of what he has
80 often said, in speech or in print, and
he did not fail TO pay his respects with
his usual emphasis to the wicked cor
porations and the still more wicked
newspapers. He recited the course of
land grant Legislation with bitter denun-
citation and claimed that the granting
Of public land 20 the railroads was con,
trary to the spirit, II not the letter of
the acts of Congress granting lands to
the State, and to the subsequent State
Legislation creating the Board of Trus-
tees of the |. /. Fund And he vigor-
ously defended the attitude of the
Board in refusing, since the beginning
of the jennings administration. to COM
ply with such grants by issuing deeds
to the grantees, claiming that its pur-
pose was to save the lands to the PEG.
ple," but failing to explain that the
Board, in 80 acting, was attempting tC
place itself In a position superior to the
body which created 1.-THE Legislature
and in effect, endeavoring to reUers'
the Supreme Court.
Mr.. Boards speech was a clear, log
zeal and eloquent presentation Of the
objections to the drainage plan and tC
the proposed amendment to the Consti
tuition, showing clearly that the Amend
ment was itself a gross violation Of
settled constitutional principles pre-
vailing throughout the fundamental Law
Of every State in the Union, in that il
attempted TO confer upon an irresponsi
bile board, already overwhelmed will
public duties, the strictly Legislative
power Of levying taxes. He dismantleC
the position of the Governor concerning
the effect and Interpretation of tn,
laws of Congress and Of the State re
speeding the public lands, fortifyng hi
position by copious extracts from tn,
decisions OF the courts
Complete verbatim stenOgraphic re
ports Of all of the speeches were Sc
cured and will probably appear in prin
for the further information Of the PEG
pie on this important topic.
----->-H~------>-->------,-
To man up tree, it now looks a
II the Governors great drainage schem,
and those very influential outside ad
visers, may have had something to d,
with Governor Broward's vetolng thos,
two measures the last Legislator,
passed protecting the |. funds. On,
required the moneys To be placed in tn,
hands of the State Treasurer, to b,
paid out as are other public funds, an,
the other provided the State audito
should be furnished all books, papers