The weekly true Democrat. (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1905-1912, 1906-10-26

Referring TO the reports IN circula-
ton that the Trustees Of the Internal
Improvement Fund were settling the
claims Of the l.. & N. Railroad for 800
600 and 750, 900 acres Of land, Mr. j. S.
Beard In his discussion with Gov Brow
ard, at Jacksonville on Thursday even
ing October Is, put the question direct
~ 70 the governor, whether or not such
q compromise had been made. In reply
the governor said he would explain that
later. Up to the present hour not the
slightest explanation has been made.
In his reply to Mr.. Beard Gov. Broward
ignored this entirely.
This is certainly q most significant
fact. II q compromise has been made
on this, basis, Il is direct confession
on the part Of the Trustees that they
had no faith in their ability TO success
fully resist the suit now pending In the
United States courts on behalf of the
L. & N. for these lands. Gov. Brow
ard has been all over the State denoun-
cling the railroads and declaring that he
- endeavoring to save the lands for the
people Of the State. If his board turns
$50, 600 acres of land over TO the l.. q
NJ, then it will be compelled to compro-
mise with every other road having land
grants, at least in the same proportion.
As these claims aggregate between
seven and eight millions Of acres, what
will be left to the people Of the State
by the time the compromise has been
effected?
If the railroads are to own the lands,
why should the people be taxed to drain
them2 Why not force the railroad COM
panies to do their own draining? Why
Impose on several hundreds of citizens
in the Everglades district the burden Of
draining the Everglades for the benefit
of these railroad companies?
Gov. Broward's silence when asked
to explain these repeated statements is
of a most significant character. Is the
board waiting until after the election
before communicating this reported set
tlement?-Tavares Herald.
Since The True Democrat was the
first to call attention to that proposed
compromise. we now deem it right and
proper to say that our Governor knew
he was not in a position to contradict
it. He surely must know that COM
promise has been agreed upon as such
q thing could not be possible without
he and every member of his double-bar-
relied board being perfectly familiar
with it. We cannot give authority,
tOitkOut breaking faith, but we have the
best authority for the fact that a COM
promise eVen 1OlO has been agreed up
on between the l. l. officials and the l..
& N. r. r. for a compromise.
Secrecy and deception seems to be
the stock in trade with the drainage
schemers and their allies.
-~~~~~O~-~-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~-
Gov. Broward asks if the people can
not trust the Governor elected by them
and other citizens of good character to
collect fairly and expend honestly some
millions of dollars of public funds.
Might not the same argument apply to
our treasurer and tax collectors who
are now required to give bond? Every
possible safeguard is thrown around
bank officials, but a banker stated to
the national convention of bankers with
out contradiction, that there had been
defalcation through the dishonesty of
bank officials TOR every day of the past
year. Federal officials are watched by
horde Of inspectors and give bond,
but they go wrong continually. "En-
ter not into temptation. - Times Union
Short Talks.
Perhaps II ne had not vetoed those
measures which were intended to pro-
tect the l. l. and drainage board the
people could have looked little differ
emily upon the schemes of he and his
allies. AS tits there is plenty Of ground
to be suspicious of the whole PROPOSE
ton, and Floridians had best be careful
what power they put in the hands Of
such man or men. Surely they will
not vote to make FIVE of them our Mo-
gul masters, with such powers and
privileges as they are praying for now
night and day.