The Ocala banner., 1906-10-26
THE DRAINING OF THE EVER
GLADES AND THE AMEND


1t is a hard proposition to unlearn
the things we have iearned-to make
surrender of our first impressions.
They cling to US as kind of fetish
and become as strong and unyield-
ing as tradition.
AS far back as we can remember
we have been educated 10 believe that
Tie drainage of the Everglades was
an impossible proposition. That their
inundation was caused not so much
by the overflow of Lake Okeechobee
as from the overflow of the Atlantic
Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico and
that the waters of the ocean and the
gulf swooping over the lower por-
tion of the state made its drainage
the widest kind of a dream.
We were also taught to believe
that innumerable springs are found
in all parts of the Everglades, some
as large as Silver Springs, which ad-
ded to the difficulty of drainage.
We have been taught also to believe
that if drainage were possible that
the lands reclaimed would be value
less as they are nothing more than
wnlLe sand such as we find on the
beach along the entire coast of Flor
ida.
All these things we have been
taught to believe from our youth
up.
Indeed, we printed a statement not
long since from a gentleman, who
said that he had visited the Ever
glades on several occasions and re-
NAMED in them for three or four
months at a time and he confirmed
the statements above set forth.
Recently we made a trip to Lake
Okeechobee and talked with great
many people-some of them pioneers.
who have been living there a long
time, all familiar with the Everglades
section and without exception, pro-
tested that the lands in the Ever
glades are as rich as it is possible
for lands to be and that the draining
of these lands is an easy proposition.
That they are higher than the gulf
or the ocean and that Lake Okeecho-
bee itself is the highest point in that
section of the state. being more than
twenty-one-feet above the level of the
sea.
These people are enthusiasts on
the subject of drainage and agree
with Governor Broward that if his
scheme is consummated that that
section of Florida will quickly be-
come the garden spot of the earth,
and will add immense riches to our
state and induce to it dense
population.
IL we can get our own consent that
the scheme itself is feasible and prac-
ticable and that one tenth of the
blessings that are promised by its ad-
vncates will flow from it, the amend
ment to be voted on will not stand
iE our way little bit.
It is claimed that this amendment
clothes the drainage commission with
too much power but men must be
clothed with power to accomplish big
undertakings.
We clothe our officers already with
as much or more power than will be
given the drainage commission b.
the adoption of this amendment
See what vast power we place in
the hands of the judges of our su-
preme and circuit courts.
We place in the hands of these
officials discretionary power in which
vast property interests are involved
and power over life and even death
itself.
See what vast power we lodge il the
hands of our boards of county CON-
missioners, our city councils, our
sheriffs, probate judges and other Of
ficials, to say nothing of the almost
unlimited power we place in the
hands of congress and the president
of the United States.
The very idea of government car
ries with it the placing of power IN
the hands of those who administer it.
And we must have confidence tnat
this power will not be abused and
the only way to keep it from being
abused is in the elective franchise
and the removal or retirement from
Office of those who abuse this privi-
lege.
Vast power, we admit, is placed in
the hands of the drainage commits
sioners under this proposed amend
ment, but if they abuse this power
the courts can be invoked to restrain
them and they can be removed from
Office at the ballot box.
Our understanding and interpreta-
ton of this amendment is that it
gives the drainage commissioners
power only over the swamp and
overfowed lands" that these lands
were ceded to the state for the purpose
of drainage and reclamation and the
board of drainage commissioners will
have jurisdiction over these lands
and no others, and il they attempt to
exercise jurisdiction over lands other
than swamp and oyerfiowed"