The Pensacola journal., 1907-06-11


IL passed law prohibiting child
labor. While considerably modified
during its progress through the two
branches of the legislature. the law
provides protection for children dn-
Ger twelve years of age in factories
aEd other classes of employment. and
N the belief Of some of its support
ers, virtually secures compulsory edu-
cation without the name
II passed an act looking toward the
securing of a state arsenal and Az
other establishing permanent camp
grounds for the state militia. and still
another placing the entire system up
on u firmer foundation
II passed with only three dissent
lug votes, a pension law far more
liberal to the old Confederate soldiers
and their widows than had ever be
fore been enacted by any state.
1t passed a license tax law that.
will bring into the state trea Suly
100000 a year more than at presrr5.
besides the $4,000 a year that the
railroad license tax Will produce.
Money for Education.
1t appropriated more than half q
million dollars for the institutions Of
higher learning in the state and made
liberal appropriations for normal. III
raj graded and ecOunty high schools.
in line with the policy established by
the Legislature of 1905.
1t submitted to the people three
proposed amendments to the stu.e
constitution. One empowering The
legislature to fix the salaries of judi
cial officers. like other officers Of the
state; one providing that the legisll-
tUTe may create addition judicial
circuits, and one providing for an an
nual tax of one mill. to be levied for
the support of the University of
Florida, the Florida Female College.
the Institute for the Deaf, Dumb and
Blind, and the COlOred Normal
School. The first two commend them
selves far more than does the third.
which involves great deal not ex-
pressed in the title
1t enacted law amending the |
primary law so as to rid it OF the +,
more Objectionable features. after re- /
jecting the bill that would have rob /
bed the system in large part of the |
secrecy of the ballot.
Improving Old Laws.
In addition to the acts enumerated, I
which are hut few of the more i'm /
portant ones, as they appear to the /
observer, the legislature enacted a |
large number of laws. amending laws
now upon the statute books Law is
q progressive science, and the object
of an amendment is to perfect a law
Many of the laws on the statute books
to-day are amended forms of the acts
of the earliest territorial legislatures.
which have been altered from time 10
time as occasion has demanded. Since
al law is founded upon the ten car
dinal principles, first written a good
really not so very many new things"
in legislation, and it is not the guam
rfty of new laws, but their quality
that establishes the wisdom of the
body enacting them. i
There doubtless have been some
laws passed which should not legis
laws passed which should not have
been and doubtless too, since legisla-
ruTes are but human. there were good
laws that failed of passage. But TAX I
ing it all in all. the legislature Of
1907. whatever its shortcomings, did
not live in vain. It's results are not
so apparent now as others may have
been. but if the good laws that this
legislature enacted accomplish the de- (
sired results to reasonable degree, /
he legislature of 1907 will go down I
n history as in the forefront of prog ]
'ess. morality, and industrial develop I
nent of the state. !
Reasons Why. I
It is not denied that the legislature '
eft undOne much that ii ought to !
lave done, and it is proper to inquire /
he reasons for this. The principal !
mes are these: I
The legislature met in the middle f
# an administration, following a Pc :
iod of bitter political animOsity, and I
vas compelled 70 spend great deal d
# time Investigating various phases /
f the government that could, in the J
light of the results obtained. much a
letter have been spent in considering e
important measures that subsequently v
led on the calendars. Y
The organization of an UnneCeSSari- I
Y large number of committees with
large memberships, with I
9th houses organized from the out I
ct by the wing politically in the mi j.
Ority before the close of the session. y
he situation was that of a locomotive q
OinC uD grade with its wheels TeVOlv Il
lg backwards. The two houses and a
heir machinery" were trying TO go y
I opposite directions. a
The prominence given measures of n
)cal Importance primarily, but which Il
aqUiTed the action Of the legislature il
ills as a general rule passed unani- b
lOusly under suspension of rules.
hen the local representatives were Il
ivOrable TO their passage, and while Il
lie local laws passed by this session Il
'Ok appalling 70 the UniniJiarad, they a
7aIly consumed but little Of the time [:
the legislature. But the bills that "
ere partially iOcal and partially gen 81
'al in their nature, Where public sen II
ment in the communities directly el
1ected ran high one way and the Il
her and the sentiment of outside n'
embers was divided on the merits Il
the issues involved, took Il great tC
sal of time and effort. the inevitable W
suit when family affairs have 10 he in
titled outside Of the home. II may Ia
1t be amiss TO repeat here a princi-
g of government that has some ia
crit: V,
A Suggestion. pl
Provision should be made. by gen al
al law when possible. and by con 10