The weekly true Democrat. (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1905-1912, 1906-06-15
COVERED FULLY BEFORE.

This newspaper has in several editor
ials covered the subject matter in the
following, and in one article we pub
lIshed the act referred 10 in full, but as
others have now begun to look a little
into some Of the injustices and abuses
that have and are being heaped upon
the people Of Florida, we reproduce the
following communication from the
Ocala Banner, issue Of May 18th.
One Of Governor BrOward's most de-
voted newspaper friends land he has a
few, although he does not like news
papers, recently attempted the first
and only defense which has been put
forth on behalf Of the trustees Of the
!. !. Fund against the charge that they
have ignored and disObeyed the good
roads law Of 1903, commanding them
10 deposit all Of the | l. Fund moneys
then in their hands with the state treas
urer, to be by him distributed among
the several counties for their use in the
construction OF hard roads. This ever
Jealous editor declares that the reason
why the trustees did not obey the law
was because by its term the money was
all obligations are discharged.
Here is what the act really says:
"After the payment Of all legal obliga-
tiOns against said moneys
Not "all obligations but "all legal
obligations" not imaginary "obliga-
tiOns" TO make a pitifully small begin
ming Of a great public work which must
cost the state many millions; but such
illegal obligations as could be dis
charged by the payment Of such mon
eys az were in hand; not imaginary
obligations against the | !. Fund or the
trustees, but such as was then existing
against said moneys " for clerk hire,
for attorneys fees, postage and other
incidental expenses of administration.
And the very language Of the act inn
plies the Legislative intention that any
other disbursement required the sane
ton Of "A Legislative amendment, such
% was performed by the act itself.
Then this editOr-champion proceeds
to declare that foremost among which
are the reclamation and drainage Of the
swamp and overfOwed lands. This
brilliant idea he got direct from Cover
nor Rroward's numerous publications
on drainage, and it is only fair to say
that Governor Broward actually and
honestly believes it himself; but it is
also not only fair but the truth to say
that no has been grossly misled and
badly advised. The internal improve
mcnt act Of 1855, which he claims as
his authority, directs the trustees to
"makc such arrangements mot pay
menls') FOR the drainage Of the swamp
and overlooked lands as in their judg-
mcnt may be most advantag COus to the
J. Fund. Can they show that the
reckless expenditure of the moneys of
the fund for the mere commencement
Of a drainage scheme which must cost
many millions of dollars more than the
trust ccs are ever likely to receive con.
stitutcs such an Arrangements"
For more than fifty years the wise
and faithful men who AZ state officers
have administered this law have inter
prcted these words as meaning and au-
thOrizing the arrangements involved
in the numerous drainage contracts
which they have made from time to
time with private individuals or organ
iZatiOns giving a mOiCty of the lands
reclaimed to those who reclaim them.
Not once, in all that long period, has
any board, or any member thereof ven
turcd to COnstruP the language Of the
act otherwise. For the present legal
advisers Of the trustees to invent and
induce them to accept the new and
startling and revolutionary theory that
the trustees can do what they please
with the moneys Of the fund, without
accountability to the legislature or the
people, and Indirect and defiant viola
ton Of statute is something little
short of advising them to deliberately
commit fraudulent breach of the great
trust reposcd in them by the terms Of
the act and the sufTrages Of the people