The weekly true Democrat. (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1905-1912, 1906-10-19
Yes
No

A crossmark, thus (X) made on the
left of the word Yes is a vote to adopt
the amendment and make it a part Of
our State constitution.
A crossmark, thus (X) on the left of
the word, No, is vote to reject it.
Right now while you are thinking
about it, turn to the proposed amend
ment on our first page and read Article
XVIII, Sections 81, 33, "a and 35 and
see for yourself what it proposes, for
this is the article we are talking about.
Now, in this, as all other public mat
tiers which the people are called upon to
decide, the question to be considered is,
will majority of the people be bene-
fitted by it,
Let us now consider what this article
Drainage amendment as it is called
proposes.
First-It proposes that FIVE men,
namely, the Governor, Comptroller,
State Treasurer, Acknowledgement and
Commissioner of Agriculture shall for
ever hereafter be Board Of Drainage
Commissioners for the State Of Flor
ida. .
Second-That they shall have full
power to establish anywhere in this
State that they please, "a system of
canals, drains, levees, bikes and reser-
voirs' to drain any lands which they
deem advisable to drain.
Third - Full power to drain any
swamps in the State of Florida which
they may take notion to drain.
Fourth--It gives them authority to
provide system of irrigation for drained
lands when and where they please.
Fifth-It gives them the power to
perpetually maintain these canals,
| i. - ~
may choose.
Sixth-It gives them power Ito es-
tabhsh drainage districts and fix the
boundaries thereof" anywhere in the
State of Florida.
Seventh-It grants them the power
to levy a tax on all the lands In the
drainage districts, so established by
them, Of ten cents an acre, every year,
forever.
Eiehth-It gives them the right Of
eminent domain which means that II
thew want to dig a canal through your
field. or where your dwelling house
stands, they have authority and power
to do so and you can't help yourself
Now, turn and read that Article
XVII again. to be sure that we have
correctly stated it.
If this amendment be adopted all Of
Hamilton county could be declared a
drainage district; Swift creek could be
dug out from the Suwannee river to it's
head; a canal cut across from there into
Bee Haven bay and through the bay to
Bells creek; then canal dug up Bells
creek to the Rice fields, large area OF
territory be drained and all the people
of Hamilton county taxed ten cents an
acre on their lands, forever, TO pay the
expense Of draining and keeping the
canals open.
Now. who would be benefited?
Three or four persons own nearly all
the lands in the territory above mem
toned. OF course these few persons
would be benefited, if they chose to
avail themselves of the benefit, by
fencing in their thousands of acres and
converting them into cattle and hog
pastures, but, for this benefit to few,
every land owner in the county would
suffer.
Ii Is dangerous, it is unwise, it is inn
polite TO give any five men, or any
board of any character, the power TO
tax YOU at will, when from their de-
cision you have no right Of appeal, no
redress for oppression in the courts,
and no relief from injustice anywhere.
This could be the effect Of this pro-
posed amendment.
II gives these five men more authority
and more power over your property
than the Gar of Russia or the Sultan
of Turkey possess over the property Of
their subjects.
Guard well your rights.
Preserve your liberties.
Suffer no encroachments upon them,
Il matters not how plausible the pre-
taNt for IL NAV be.