The weekly true Democrat. (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1905-1912, 1907-02-01
THE STATEMENT OF TOTALS.

~ 'NO DSHlOCIdJ mas the tOl-
lowing TO say on the subject of the
statement of totals from the Internal
Improvement Board which was recently
handed out by the Governor, who is the
head of the two boards, for publication ::
We have not been over the report .
| we know nothing of it except that il is
there. Wedo not admit its correctness.
nor do we deny its correctness. nor do
we deny It's accuracy; yet we have no
reason to doubt its truth, for we he
lieVe as the law does, that a man is in
nocent until he is proven guilty, and.
WINE charges nave been made against
guilty.
All this is true. The Internal I'm.
proVement Board is presumed to be in
nocent until proven guilty. and vet"
there is that in their actions of the mast
TO excite the suspicion of fair-minded
and unprejudiced men. Why in the
name OF reason has the board DELAYED
so long in the publication of this report
the same report for which half the
State was asking back I'm the DAYS of
the drainage fight. Every member of
the board was working for the adoption
OF the amendment, and yet they failed .
TO furnish to the people al account of .
their expenditures when, by a satisfac-
tory accounting, the tide of pubIic
opinion might have been turned in their
favor and the measure been made a
success but they refused at the time
when 1t was needed when half the ma
pers Of the State were calling for
statement and give it now, when in
terest 10 conferred in other matters
Really, the ways of the Internal I'm
Board are strange.
Times Union: Governor Broward Of {
ters to the people of Florida :
statement showing the expenditure of /
'l62, 4S9 80 on drainage. We hope the
legislature will not accept this as
detailed statement" for it is nothing ,
IL the KIND, and It would not be taken q
~ any set OF stockholders as such from q
my BOARD OF directors in any business d
Enterprise. The statement wanted IL L
ccompanied by names and vouchers
nd 1t gives the sources from which the n
nOney was derived as we'll as the pur- q
oses for which it was spent To ali G
ms information the people are entitled. "
nd ailot 1t the governor should be anx- o.
)us to give. u
but accepting the supposition that T
very expenditure were legally made,
'e ask consideration for the question in
To whether this money would not
ave done more good, reclaimed moro -
md and settled more farms il il had n
zen devoted TO system Of good roads t.
stead OF waterways n,
We already see that the cost of drain h.
& the Everglades at this rate would ia
very much greater than the original
'lculation OF the Times Union, which
e governor and his supporters ridi-
lied as unreasonable and preposteru &C
already find that the time involved 70
vers years where the governor oriv,- no
lily asked months. We see that N. -
achlnes which the governor SAID could a.
yer wear out will last only a little nc
ne as handled and must be constantly 10,
newed We already find that where COZ
G governor professed to work Only "a no
servant Of the people, he now BRO ye
'ses to obey the higher law of his own n
lscientious scruples just as n he were
Republican. LIS
Now what will the people do about III ne'
there be no money, can we be taxsd ma
lhout our consent IL there be- 60
ney, might il not be wiser to spend 81"
on roadways than on waterwsys9 nav
owe All shall we govern ourselves or pro
ourselves be governed by Napoleon VIII
btoWard, who asked that We recog. mu
e nun as the first OF our servants b
ne governor has spent money
lere dld he get II He has incurred
'gations. Who will discharge them? X
aiding our authority To begin he re. HA
Is TO stop at our bidding. Who will
the halt ? 4,