The weekly true Democrat. (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1905-1912, 1907-08-02
The COmmIttea.


Dorothy N. PorEes. IN Boston Idea
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The Committee.
There has been great deal said pro
and con by the papers throughout the
State about the legislative committee
now investigating the affairs of the in
ternal improvement board. The com
mittee itself has given publicity to its
proceedings and has published adver-
tisements in all sections of the State
calling upon all who have any informa-
ton regarding the past workings Of the
board TO step forward and tell their
story. This advertisement has been
responded 70 to greater or less ex-
tent, and, so far, there have been no
startling developments to excite the
mind Of the public or rItffie the serene
sessions of the inquisitors.
In addition to the advertisements
mentioned, the committee has issued
subpoenas to several editors OF news
papers. one of them having been sent
10 the editor of the Tribune. The lat
ter regretted that illness prevented his
obeying the summons, but had he been
able TO obey it there was nothing he could
have made clear regarding the routine
workings of the internal improvement
board. So nothing was lost by his inca
pacity TO attend.
It must be borne in mind that the
Tribune stand has not been that there
was any graft or stealing going on in
the operations of the board, but its adj
verse criticism has been based on the
fact that no State should tolerate the
existence of any board possessing abso-
luteiy autOcratic power, not responsible
to any one but itself. We were espec-
tally concerned over the unparalleled
effort made by Governor Broward last
year to further extend the power of
this board and to fasten it, indefinitely,
as a burthen upon the people of the
State, by giving it constitutional ex-
istence -embodying it as one of the
provisions of the basic laws Of the State
Of Florida. This we most certainly did
condemn in most unmeasured terms.
There was no excuse for it; there was
noprecedent for 1t. It was the open
ing Of an opportunity for the most stu
pendous graft, should its affairs ever
fall under the control Of corrupt men.
We have written the above despite
the warning Of the Tallahassee True
Democrat to Editor Harris, Of the Ocala
Banner. The latter had some singing
words about that error of 500, in fgur-
ing which ct one time was declared to
exist and then was declared not to eX-
ist---a now you see it and now you don't
arrangement---tOth the effect that the ac-
ton OF the Governors friends had been
such as to awaken suspicion. The True
Democrat tells Brother Harris:
Better be careful or you will be
summoned before that committee TO
tell what you know about the doings Of
the internal improvement board since
ktna nvRA knw,n ElAvsiHoSo
governor ply you with various and d.
Vers questions connected with these
matters, in an effort to make you ad-
nit that the internal Improvement
board created by one legislature is
greater than its creator; that the board
has 'precedents' for selling lands quietly
at cheap prices, and that they can sell
for what they please.
Well, all this may be regarded as not
very pertinent, and not very interest
ing but to the Tribune it tells the
story that there must be a good deal of
lost motion about the working of the
legislative committee. There must be
a vast attention TO small matters and
forgetfulness of the ''weightier matters
of the law" The True Democrat
speaks of the Governor as being con-
slant supervisor Of the sessions Of the
committee, even cross questioning wit
nesses, while the people have no repre-
sentative at all.
II the committee means TO accom-
plish its purpose it should go about do
ing what the people, through the legis-
lature, appointed it TO do: proceed with
promptiture, impartiality and entire
thoroughness to make an examination
Of the workings of the internal improve
ment board from every point OF view.
And they should proceed without bias
and uncontrolled by any outside infiu-
enee, be il a member of the board it
self in the august person Of the Empe-
crate enemyGT Tampa Tribune.
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