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

fetal proclamation WIS issued, signed
by N. B. Broward, Governor, setting
forth thaS he had spt Mt considerable of
his own means In circulating drainage
literature and in defraying the expenses
Of his campaign Of instruction 70 the
people, and soliciting funds Of from 2
cent stamps up to 80 cents. Shortly
afterwards il was reported that small
amount had been collected up to that
time. No public statement of the
amount realized from that official proc
lamation has been made public, and,
were il the transaction Of q private cit
izen. or Of N. b. Broward the man, no
one would presume TO ask questions of
it, Now, for the looks of things, would
il not be graceful, and dignihed thing
TO do, for our Governor TO hand out an
other itemized statement of 1t, too.
The proclamation made 1t a public
matter, and the public should be fully
advised Of II.
The Pensacola Journal of the 9Th
takes it up and comments upon it as toll
lows:
1.-THE Tallahassee True Democrat
calls upon Governor Broward for an
itemized statement of the moneys and
stamps received by him last summer in
funds TO carry on the drainage camp 4Ign
The position is taken that inasmuch as
the call was in the nature of an official
proclamation, it was a matter of state
business. and therefore the Governor
was accountable for all the funds re-
ceived. The position is untenable Be-
cause the Governor issued his call in
the form of proclamation, it did
not necessarily make it one and we ven
ture to assert that it has not been re-
corded along with other official prOcla-
nations issuing from his office. Per-
haps If John Collins will furnish the
Governor with stenOg PAPER he can Sc
cure " a complete and Itemized list " of
every postage stamp received, includ-
ing he name, address, and political
faith Oh the donor, together with the
number OF stamps sent Seriously, the
State is not interested in this matter"
"Ye gods and little fishes !" As to
whether Governor Broward had that
proclamation recorded or not, we are
not prepared to say, nor do we person
ally care. While we do not claim that
he is accountable TO any one, not even
to the contributors, II he prefers to
keep IL a secret, we do contend, for the
looks of things, he ought to let Florid-
ians know how much he raised by that
proclamation to help him along with
his exposes, which must have been quite
large and burdensome. All official proc
lamations, usually are, or should be re-
corded, " and ii Governor Napoleon B.
Broward failed to have that very pecu-
liar one, recorded, it furnishes clear ev-
idcnce of fact that he pretended some
thing for the effect it would have lOhich
,Ods not, and thus abused trust, even
though it be in a small way.
1t is not John Collins business to furn-
ish Governor BIoward, or any Of his
official family with stenOgraphers,
nor could we afford to do 80 If ether de-
sired it, as we are not able to have such
a pleasant and expensive luxury in our
own office and business just now; but
for public information, we will state
here, there is no scarcity of stenogrd-
pliers or clerical help, either in the Cow
ernor or the Comptroller's departments
both Of which have looked well to furn-
ishing employment to their own kin
folk and family connections, and the
Governor office has two stenographers
and typewriters OF the regular ay-roll,
if we are reliably informed, and the sal
airy for those kind of employees in the
State-house runs from $50 to $'25.O0
per month. Just why one department.
stenographers should receive so much
more pay than the others for about the
same few hours work we shall not en-
deavor to explain. OF course the cler-
zeal help is not to blame for that.
Seriously" the State is interested in
this matter, just as it should be in all
matters connected with the public bus
mess, and If those in office do not take
the people into their full confidence,
even in httie matters, officials will be
selected and put into those State offices
who will, and that can be depended
upon fully. .
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