The weekly true Democrat. (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1905-1912, 1906-11-09
STATE RLEcTION RETURNS.


selection Of ali of the candidates chosen
in the late primary elections. with the
single exception Of the defeat Of John
A. Graham, Democratic candidate for
Representative in the Legislature in
Manatee county, by Socialist candi-
date.
The constitutional amendments pro-
posed by the Legislature Of 1906 excited
the greatest interest in every county in
the State, the Drainage Amendment"
easily leading in prominence. So far
as can be learned from returns thus
far made public, all of the amend
ments were ratified except the drainage
amendment.
AS to the drainage amendment, while
there was never any serious doubt Of
its defeat, its opponents must feel
highly gratifed at the result. In
thirty-eight counties from which re-
turns wore reported in yesterdays
Times Union, ten of which give COM
plete returns, the vote was: For the
amendment, 4599; against the amend
ment, 9144, making a net majority
against the amendment of 3245. The
counties giving majorities for the
amendment were: Citrus, Clay, Dade,
DeSotO, Escambia, Franklin, Holmes,
Lee, Liberty, Madison, Santa Rosa,
Volusia and Washington-l3. Those
giving majorities against it we're:
Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Columbia,
Duval, Gadsden, Hamilton, fernando,
HillsbOrough, Jefferson, Lafayette,
Levy, Manatee, Marion, Monroe, Mas
sau, Orange, Osceola, Polk, Putnam,
st. Johns, st. Lucie, Sumter, Suwan-
nee and Walton-25.
The fact will be noted with satisfac-
ton by the readers of the True Demo-
crat that the counties of Middle Florida
returned substantial majOrities against
the amendment. OF the eight counties
not included In the foregoing, Leon
county defeated the amendment by a
vote of about three or four to one, and
jackson county went against it by a
vote Of four or Ave TO one. The others
from which no returns are reported are
Brevard, Calhoun, Lake, Pasco, Taylor
and Wakulla. It il believed that the
two last named gave majorities against
the amendment, and probably several
Of the Others also.
The result of this effort to deceive
and Cajole the Democratic voters Of
Florida into approval Of a scheme which
was patiently and permanently injuri-
Gus TO their best interests, both prac-
ticaly and politically, should be accepted
by the inventors and advocates of the
project as a solemn and emphatic warn
ing to desist from such attempts in the
future. To use a popular expression,
II is their turn to 'go away back and
sit down" Those who hold official
positions should be grateful for the
knowledge that the overwhelming con-
demnation they and their plans have
received at the hands of the people
does not, as vet, involve the loss Of
their positions, and there is yet time
for them to exhibit a becoming COM
prehension Of their real duties to their
fellow-eitizens as public officers, and to
show a disposition to perform such
duties hereafter with due regard to the
constitution and the laws, and to that
honesty, modesty and faithfulness
which, as such officials, they owe to the
people who elevated them to the places
they occupy.
As time goes on, and reflection clears
the understanding, the real enormty
of this attempt TO destroy the liberties
of the people will become more and
more apparent, and most of those who
voted for this iniquitous amendment
will join with those whose wisdom de-
feated II in rejoicing at the downfall
of its inventors and sponsors, and the
delivery Of the State from it's dangers.
Therefore. let the victorious ones re-
frain from undue exultation over the
defeated, and let all join in the resolve
to see to II that not a single one Of the
would-be leaders who sought TO lead
the people Rstray, for their own selfish
purposes, shall ever again be honored
with public office.
~~~-~>~~~-~~~-~~-~-~.~~