The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1906-12-09
RAILROAD COMMISSION.

RAILROAD COMMISSION.
On the first Tuesday after the first
Monday Of next month the chairman
of the Florida railroad commission
will retire from his Office and will
be succeeded as commissioner b.
Newton A. Bitch. Of Levy county, and
this will neceSSit5te the election OF
4 new chairman of the commission to
succeed Mr.. Browne There has been
much speculation as to who would be
the next chairman of the commission.
Some think that Bitch will succeed
Browne as chairman, as we'll as CON-
missioner, others think that Morgan
will be made chairman on account of
his long, uninterrupted service on the
commission and still others think
that the plum will go to Hudson Burr
because he has shown himself to be
such a live wire during the four
years of his service as member of
the railroad commission. To those
VINO have watched the course of the
railroad commission there are few but
who will concede that Burr deserves
the larger part of whatever credit is
due this body for better service and
cheaper rates from the railroads.
Burr has never been known to shrink
from duty and his loyalty to the peo-
pie is beyond question.
Mr.. Morgan has served on the rail
road commission since 1898, when he
succeeded Col. r. H. NJ. Davidson. He
Is a very quiet and conservative man
and has always been popular with the
people. Mr.. Bitch, or Senator Bitch.
as he is popularity known throughout
the state, will enter upon his duties
as railroad commissioner in January
for the first time. For twelve years
he represented Levy county in the
state senate and has always been align
ed with the alleged anti-corporation
faction in state politics Like Mr.
Morgan, he is a quiet and unassuming
man and is very popular with the peo-
pie. Mr.. Burr, on the other hand. is
bold and daring and when he settles
in his mind that thing is right moth
ing can keep him from fighting for it.
He is not a man who bids for notoriety
and yet his course on the commission
has kept him in the limelight during
his entire term. He believes in the
railroads giving the people a square
deal and if the people fail to get a
square DEAL from the railroads
while Mr.. Burr is on the commission
it will rot be due to any fault of his.
Browne Retires.
Jefferson Beale Browne, who re-
tires next month from the commission,
is an interesting figure in Florida pol
itics. He is just in the prime of life
and vet he has been in many fierce
political battles AS far back as 1891
he was a senator from Monroe county,
and as the president of the Florida
state senate in that year he caused
the joint meeting of the legislature
to be held which resulted in Wilkin-
son Calls election. Four years ago
he entered the race for railroad COM
missioner and won by a handsome
vote. AT the first meeting of the new
commission he was elected chairman
and has served in this capacity for
four years. On retiring from the COM
mission he will resume the practice
of law either in Jacksonville Or Key
West In the game of politics he has
Mayed both winner and looSer and he
is as serene in defeat as in victory. He
is a well-read man, a deep thinker,
and a polished orator In the social
life Of the capital he and his excellent
family will be greatly missed for if
there is one man in the state who
knows how to entertain. and entertain
well, it is Jeff. Browne.