The weekly true Democrat. (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1905-1912, 1906-07-27


excellent but fearless newspaper On
the contrary, Editor Collins has always
affirmed that the Governor is an honest
man. honestly devoted 10 his policies,
but misadvised by his friends concern
ing the methods be Is pursuing to ac-
compIish his purposes. o. st Augustine
Record.
The Herald did not intend to make a
direct and positive charge that the Tree
Democrat Impugn,d the integrity Of
Governor BroWard The idea was, and
i7, that the Democrat is 80 very severe
~ It's structures Onthc Governor and his
associates of the Internal Improvement
Board That the inference irTesistbly
follows that they must be either very
weak and ignOrarl men, or corrupt
Abd, as We know that tncy are mot
weak and ignorant What follows?
ANY one who has read the True Dem
Ccrat dttentiyciy Tor the past month or
two would natuIaUr conclude that the
True Democrat regards the Governor
and his associates as bad men who are
unworthy Of the confidence and respect
OF their feilOW-cilleua. OF course the
True Democrat s at liberty 10 enter
tain such an opinion, hut the Herald re-
specially dissent Punta Gorda her
aid.
The True Demooat has given facts.
IT., Information va based on the rec
prds Of Monroe county 1t made the
charges straight from the shouldcr,
that the lands had been sacrificed, that
the sale was made quietly and that the
party who rurcha nd il resold In four
days less than "a muntu-or turned the
lands over TO other partics--at nearly
s3j, 600 more than paid Tor il. Mr. .
Jenn.ng. then attempted to justify the
action Of the board .p q communication
to the Times. Union, but made mess
Of lt.and brought oJ, the fact that the
leather trust and chemical trust were in I.
the deal; he then tried to fix it in a let
ter TO the Metropolis but contradictcd .
himself and made matters worse. Then .
followed Gov. Broward's interview,
which stated only that they had prece-
dents for cheap sales, and the law gave
them authorityto fr amy price they sur
ut. That was followed by those beau
T..
l. 'Engle's administration organ; then
the Kindergarten Grammar
School But as yet no reasonable, piau-
,iJie, sensible or SATISFACTORY ercuse has
been given for the sale, and it STANDS
A BURNING OUTRAGE, and proves con-
,lusively that great board of czars are
not looking after ~ peoples interests
and welfare as public servants should,
and, to say the least, they do deserve
10 be censured for it; and the people of
Florida have the right to Infer ire
'istibly" just what they desire, when
public transactions are being handled
70 carelessly, and on 1.-THE people be
ID" style.
But, my darlings, additional facts have
lust come into our possession, and we
give them az we have gotten them.
This time, too, if you please, we gath
,red same without bOlOing into their
tugust pTesences. Read the following
etter carefully and see the startling
it brings to you:
Miami, Fla, July 1S, 1906.
Mr.. John Collins. Tallahassee:
My Dear Sir-As per your request, |
vent and talked with Mr.. Drake about
he lands. He tells me that he endeav-
,red TO buy these lands, but could not
10 so. He wrote TO a high State off,
,ial (name withheld for the presently
about July II, 1905, and asked him TO
lee If he could get the land for him.
The official writes as follows: He went
o see Mr.. McLin, the Commissioner.
md tried to get them for him. Mr..
McLin told him that the lands were not
or sale, nor would they give an option
o any one on these lands; also said that
hey intended to drain those lands be-
ore offering them for sale. He further
old the high State official that the
'oard had entered into an agreement
Tot TO sell an acre of these lands until
he litigation then pending as to the
ownership of the lands was settled by
he courts Now, it is evident that the
)Oard at that time had doubts as to who
'wned the land. The question is, WHY /
mould they refuse to sell to man like (
hat high official, Of unimpeachable in
egrity, and sell TO this Mr.. Jennings.
Who, IN my opinion, never had money
'nough of his own to buy 100 acres at
i cents per acre.
You will note that they had no price ,
or the lands to the high official, and,
% far as McLin knows, that high off,
ial might have offered him 81 per acre.
again, these people, knowing that high