The weekly true Democrat. (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1905-1912, 1907-10-18
THAT EXTRAORDINARY SESSION.

10 pirate about the calling Of an extra
session, as IL the almost unanimously
expressed sentiment Of the people Of
the State, as reflected in the newspa'
pers, had not already most emphati-
cally condemned the proposition as one
fraught with danger TO the public inter-
| est.
The holding up Of some Of the ex-
travagant appropriations made during
the recent session has not appeared TO
work any very great hardships, 80 far
as the public is concerned. BY wise
and conservative arrangem ent, secured
by the Board Of Control, the appropria-
tiOns for completing the necessary
buildings for the University and the
State Female College will be available
at fixed time, thus enabling the board
TO make contracts based upon certain
future payments. No action by the
Legislature Is therefore essential, 50
far as the educational interests Of the
State are concerned, and nothing the
Legislature could do, short Of increas-
ing the tax levy, could add TO the exist
ing condition with respect to such edu-
cational appropriations.
The correspondent referred to, who
conveys in his style the impression that
be Is quite close to the administration,
AYERS that 1t does not necessarily imply
an additional tax levy TO urge the call
Ing of an extra session, and darkly
mentions certain special funds" which
could be diverted from their original
fixed purpose, and spent, II only the
Legislature would assemble and 30 or
der. What citizen desires so irregular
q thing TO be done7 The "snug bal
ances" reported as being held in the
treasury TO the credit of these special
funds may excite the cupidity of an adj
ministration which cannot lay it's hands
upon all the cash It desires to spend,
but the sacredness of such funds ought
TO appeal with strong force to a people
already overburdened with heavy taxes,
and 10 a Legislature purporting to rep
resent such a people. Hence 1t is by
no means certain that any of such
Especial funds" would be diverted from
their purpose to fill holes in the general
fund Of the treasury. The correspond
ent admits that "a popular outcry"
would forbid such a diversion of public
funds.
But the snapper" in this remarkable
correspondence Is In It's final paragraph,
to the effect that 1.-The Governor ID a
firm believer in State Life Insurance
as a panacea for the ills Of insufficient
revenue" The irrelevancy Of this re-
mark Is apparent, unless it be taken as
a hint that the Legislature may be con-
vened for the purpose of establishing
this pet scheme Of Governor Broward,
urged as ga panacea" for the difficult
ties now confronting the financial de-
partment Of the State government.
Just in what manner the adoption by
the Legislature of this wild and crazy
fad of Estate Life Insurance" can All
the State treasury, and enable the
Treasurer to pay the legislative appro-
priations Of 1907, 1t would be difficult
to imagine. Such q scheme would have
to be heavily financed at the start, be-
fore a dollar Of returns could be ex-
pected. Payments to the State for life
insurance would create a fund-not to
be spent for appropriations, but-sa-
cred TO its special and holy purpose of
protection 70 the families Of the in
sured. How could such fund be used to
make good the difference between the
public revenues and the extravaganza
Of the last Legislature?
The facts appear TO be, that Cover
nor Broward Is fairly aching to call an
extra session, to open the report of the
Internal Improvement Fund Investigat-
ing Commission, in the hope that his
administration and that Of his immedi-
ate predecessor may thereby be "vindi-
Gated" and that the Legislature may
possibly be also induced to take up and
put through his pet life insurance
scheme. lf he does call It, as he prob
ably will, every citizenof Florida will
know why
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