The weekly true Democrat. (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1905-1912, 1906-08-17

made It's appearance IN print few days
ago, signed by IN. B. Broward, Gov
ernOr," Of the State Of Florida.
1t begins by rehearsing the substance
Of statements made in public speeches
by N. B. Broward. This, of itself, con-
dennis 1t as a public document, issued
by the chief magistrate Of State, be-
cause 1t relates TO matters purely polit-
ical and personal, which should have no
place in an official communication.
II gravely announces as a piece of
news (which the people TO whom it is
addressed have known for months),
that news bureau has been established
to give information to the voters of
Florida on the subject Of the proposed
amendment TO the Constitution creating
a drainage board, and calls the litera-
ture emanating from that bureau "mis-
leading. That this statement is abso-
lutely false, any voter who has received
such literature can readily testify.
II affirms that the Governor las an
individually has mo more interest in the
adoption Of Joint Resolution No. ! than
has any other disinterested but patri-
otto citizen" when every person in
Florida knows, or should know, that the
chief purpose of urging the adoption of
the amendment Is to make a show of
redeeming pledges and promises made
by the individual, N. B. Broward, when
he was a private citizen and a candi-
date
1t declares that the defeat of the
amendment would entail upon the rest
Of the people Of Florida a burden out
Of proportion TO what they would be
called upon to pay in retaining the
Everglades" but it does notdefine that
burden" nor explain why there should
be any burden at all in the event that
the amendment Is defeated; and every
intelligent reader of this remarkable
proclamation we'll knows that the bur
den" will come only when the amend
ment is adopted, and an irresponsible
drainage board is given thereby unlim-
tied and unlawful power to tax the peo-
pie for the personal qualification of a
single individual, and Of those who,
under cover Of his official position, are
forcing him into a hopeless contest for
their own private ends.
This proclamation purports to recite
lot Of facts" about the litigation in
which the drainage board attempted to
be created by the last Legislature, and
the Trustees Of the |. |. Fund, have in
volved the people Of the State with
land owners who refused to be imposed
upon by illegal taxation, and at whose
instance the courts have declared the
drainage law unconstitutional; but such
matters belong TO the proceedings in
the courts rather than in an alleged
public document, and hence need not
be debated in the public press
But 1t is the final paragraph, disclos-
ing the real purpose of the "proclama-
tiOn," which grossly violates every
sense Of decency and official propriety,
by desperately imploring "every citizen
to contribute at least two-cent stamp"
whereby the Governor Of a sovereign
State may be enabled to conduct a per-
sonal campaign having for its purpose
the redemption Of foOlishly absurd cam
pagn pledges and promises, made by a
then private individual in order to Sc
cure votes, through the adoption Of an
amendment which will fix upon the peo-
pie Of Florida, irrevocably and in per-
petuity grossly unfair and oppressive
system Of unlawful taxation, unlimited
IA to time, such taxes to be levied and
expended by a Legislature (the consti-
tutional and only rightful taxing power),
but by an irresponsible board Of Off
Gals. accountable for the use Of the
proceeds Of such taxation to no earthly
power.
Thus far we have dignifed this most
undignfcd and absurd performance of
Governor Broward with serious discus
sion Of it's contents; but it is impossible
10 treat this last and most ridiculous
feature seriously. IL the Governor was
not in such deadly and desperate earn
est, it might possibly be surmised that
A.. k,l -, IL -. 4.