The Pensacola journal., 1907-06-09
BY jefferson Bell.


Broward has filed with the secretary
of state three veto messages. The
measures vetoed are:
An act for the relief of the tax IS
SCISSORS of the counties of Dade,
st. Lucie, Osceola, Lee, Monroe, and
DeSotO.
An act to revive the charter of, and
to continue the powers, rights and
privileges of, the Atlantic and Gulf
Railway Company, heretofore char
tered and given under Chapter 4474,
laws of Florida, and amendatory
thereof. and fixing the time for the
completion thereof.
An act to amend sections 654 and
655 of the general statutes of Florida,
relating to public printing
Assessors Relief.
The tax assessors relief bill pro-
vided for the payment of commits
sions on the basis of two per cent on
the drainage assessments to De PAID
out of the internal improvement fund
moneys now in the hands OF the t-Us-
tees. In his message, Governor Brow
ard saws: The law after defining
the duties of the trustees and defin-
ing their powers, specifies the partlc-
ular objects of improvement for
be made; and believing, as | do,
that the expenditure of any of this
money for any other purpose :han
that specified in the act referred to
would endanger the whole fund, and
as it is a fact that if the legislature
now has the power to divert any por-
tion of the fund they have the power
to divert all of the fund, and should
the trustees pay out any money IN
this fund in any other way than :hat
prescribed in the law contained in
Chapter 61O it would in all 2robabil-
ity involve the fund hopelessly IN lltl-
CATION to the great injury OF the fLnd
and to the state of Florida, | there
fore withhold my approval of the sAld
bill and veto the same.
State Printing.
Governor Broward gives as his
reason for vetoing the bill relating 10
the state printing that the act does
not specify that all printing for the
state shall be done in the state, as
has been the established custom since
! 1887; that if persons outside Of the
state should receive the contracts,
having complied with the REQUIRE
ments of the board, and there should
be failure to comply with their con-
| tracts at a time when delay would be
/ fatal to the interests of the state, IN"
! ONLY redress would be suit on the
Eond. which suit would most proba-
bly, be removed by the nonresident
| contractor to the United States
/ courts. Under these conditions, he
| states interests would be sacrificed
and work required to be promptly
done during a legislative session, or
at other times. would fail or would
have to be undertaken by other means
at n great expense and greater lncoE-
yenience and loss to the state. The
provisions of the general statutes are
preferable to this particular change
proposed The act contains some
/ good provisions. but they cannot be
approved without also approving the
unfortunate ones. The best interests
of the state require the faithful Ell
| forcement of the provisions of the
present law and in so doing the good
purpose indicated by this act will be
| accomplished.
Two Reasons Given.
Referring to the other act revlvlnS
the charter of the Atlantic and Gulf
Railroad Company, GOFeror BroWard
gives the following reasons for his
veto: In so far as this act relates to
the charter of said railroad. 1t con
fIicts with section % of article : OF
the constitution of the state of Flor
ida. as amended in 1899. which pro-
hibits any special legislation of this
kind The said act also purports 20
work a forfeiture of lands, but the
Language ur0d Is so ambiguous that
il is no: ar whether the lands are
ATTEMPTED 20 he forfeited by the com.
uany to the state or by the state to
the company"