The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1906-10-21
THE DRAINAGE
DEBATE At
OCALA
Governor Broward and Jno,
S. Beard Again Dis
cuss the Question.

Inc ceremonies dCJ6lQdnL upon ldy>
ing the corner stone of Ocala's new
courthouse were held in the presence
of a great assemblage. including many
prominent citizens, on Wednesday
last. AT the conclusion of the cere-
mony Mayor McConathy introduced
Gov. Broward, who was welcomed
with loud and hearty applause, says
the Ocala Banner.
Mr. Broward said that as he was
limited in his remarks ne would pro-
coed without any circumlocution to
the core of the matter He said
that these lands had been decided to the
state OF Florida by the general gov
eminent for the purpose of drainage
and reclamation. That the most of
these lands had been given away by
the different legislatures to various
railways and other corporations but
that he had succeeded, as he had
promised when making his canvass
for governor, in rescuing some of
these lands for the people and that
the work of draining them was now
in progress. He said that he was do
ing this not to crafty his own am
bition but to do something for the
good of the people who had elevated
him to the Office of governor Of the
state. He read an official document
showing that the very first resolution
! introduced in the first legislature af-
| ter Florida had been admitted into
| the Union, was about draining the
Everglades and this resolution prayed
the general government to have the
same surveyed looking to the final
1 drainage and reclamation. That it
had been a live question from that
day to this and the only way to de-
termine whether or not these lands
could be drained and reclaimed was
/ to make the effor, which he was
now doing. having been commissioned
to do so by majority of the votes
of the people of the state.
He then told of the dredge. which
was now at work and the one that
will soon be at work, the length and
! depth of channels he proposed to
dig and the length OF time it would
| take to complete the work He said
that these were valuable lands and
that they were now only assessed at
twenty-five cents an acre but when
| drained would be worth as many do
lars per acre and as tire owners -
these lands would be the beneficial
les of the drainage he thought 1t was
only fair that they should pay the tax
That Lake Okeechobee, which causes
the overflow of these lands, and is
the key to the situation in more than
h rhn hn n
the lowering Of this lake was the
easiest big job that was ever under
taken.
The governor covered his full hour
and punctuat7d his Temarks with
several anecdotes and altogether his
speech, judging from the applause he
received, fell on willing ears.
Hon. John S. Beard was next in.
troduced by Mayor McConathy.
Mr. Beard is a gentleman of refined
features and commanding appearance
and he was also received with full
measure of applause.
He conceded, for the sake of argu
ment, that the drainage of the Ever.
gades was feasible and practicable
and the lands were as rich as claimed
for them by Governor Broward.
He addressed himself almost entire
ly to the legal aspect of the question
claiming that the lands were in litiga
ton and had been ceded, whether
rightfully or wrongly, by the past leg,
islatures to various railways and other
corporations. He opposed the policy
1 of draining these lands at the cost OF
several million dollars to the people OF
Florida until the titles to them were
decided by the courts. which would be
done in the course of short time.
He said that Judge Swayne, federal
judge of one of the lower courts, had
| already rendered a decision to the
| titles of these lands in fav y of the
L. & N. railroad and that If this decis.
ion was not overruled by the supreme
court, the titles to these lands would
vest in this railroad and he did not see