The weekly true Democrat. (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1905-1912, 1906-11-09
Az q natter Of Authority.

Gov. Broward replies 10 criticisms Of
his drainage scheme by pleading that he
was given authority TO proceed by cleo
ton, and by urging that his character
should be accepted as o guarantee that
the power and money he asks for his
board will not be improperly used. II
ne 40 desires, the argument may now
be shifted from the field Of reason, and
from the domain Of law TO that Of Eau
thority, +" or tina. Of character" II the
gentlemen prefer. AS q citizen, N. Il.
Broward Is better known as an antago-
mist of the law, then as its supporter
he won his spurs as q filibuste. As
politician, he has sometimes appeared
On the regular Democratic ticket, and
sometimes against it-in both cases as
afillbustereT But we submit that he
was never known for his knowledge OF
the law. nor revered for respect paid TO
n, Therefore his character" does not
warrant as In accepting his view of the
law, or promise TO regard II.
On the other sideI The present at
toney general has not given an Opin-
ion, but II he would give one In support
Of the governor, In IL not fair TO assume
that the governor would have published
n, since the governor alone can do 50?
Certainly, Attorney General Lamar held
that the titles given under the grants
were legal, and his predecessors held
likewise. Now, IL II not well to believe
that what an unbroken line Of attorneys
general held 10 be sound law Is gOod3
Cows. Jennings and BrOward agree
Opposed 70 them are Cows. Bloxham,
Drew, Perry, Fleming and Mitchell. II
popular endorsements are TO count, on
which side IL the hoaviestH All these
were endorsed by the people at the
polls"
A. 10 lawyers, We have have the
Governor sustained by ex-Gov. Jen-
nings, by Hon. sgd. Carter, and by
half q dozen others not superior In
reputation TO these. We make no
denial of their ability or learning, but
we set against them Lamar, Rsney'
Henderson, McWhorter, Taylor, Flem-
ing, Perry, Mitchell, Mabry and others
hardly less learned, who, In acts, In
decisions from the bench, or In opinions,
have ehampioned the contrary view.
On which side is the preponderance Of
authority On which side stands the
endorsements of the peOple3
Thus we arrive at the conclusion
reached by Hon. Frank Clark--viz., !
the titles must be passed upon by the
courts before we dare conclude that
the acts Of the Legislature are invalid. |
The Governor says: IF ! have COM
promised with the l.. and N. promise
to tax the lands" which may be taken |
for confession. But he does not 20 far |
enough he also proposes to tax other |
lands 10 drain these, and II he has COM |
promised with the l.. and N, he has |
also admitted that like titles are good |
In the hands Of the other roads. IL he
incapable Of seeing the legal meaning |
of his own Acts2
Again az 20 character. The Governor
Gays the lands and the proceeds thereof |
constitute, In his view, "a sacred trust |
for tho benefit of the schools and the |
people Of Florida" Now. the Gov
ernor, through his board, Is paying a
lawyer out Of such proceeds FIVE thou
sand dollars a year. when the people |
had chosen the Attorney General as
his legal adviser. Will he urge that |
the encouragement chosen by the |
people Is incapable OF rendering SER
Vice IN that capAcityH When the State
Il already paying a lawyer TO render
this specific service, will he claim that |
the money given In salary 10 another is
money devoted 20 the schools and the I
peoplef II he finds II his duty TO
divert Ave thousand dollars a year OF
that money for twenty years, why |
might he not divert twice that In an |
other dIFoctionf-Timea-U Union