Live Oak daily Democrat. (Live Oak, Fla.) 190?-190?, 1907-04-29

several State legislatures now In ses-
sion along the line of bills introduced
into ours, that makes them hesitate
as to the expediency of proceeding
further until it can be ascertained
what the real results will be.
So far as our enterprise is concern
ed the agitation will no doubt delay
us many months as it is, and with
most. uncertain results: but looking
beyond our individual interests alone
with disregard of which by the pow
ers of State we are already getting
accustomed) it is for the public as
well as private value of all the enter
prises so jeopardized that We ask
you to do what you can to bring our
representatives to realize what this
may mean.
AS to the employers liability, act,
if mans own carelessness is no bar
to his right of action for an injury
consequent upon it, employers and
their investments would not only be
deferred from coming into the State;
but those here would be speedily
driven from business. l do not
know the author of this bill; and
trust it would be no reflection on him
to say that measures of this kind Oft
en- find their first inspiration in the
failure of some attorney to sustain
claim that has found more ready
appeal to his sentiments than to his
regard for the law, which in its fun
damental rule of general right may
to our particular interests sometime
work an exception of apparent
wrong
l take it that the self-eyident in
justice of this measure will be so an-
parent that its Interior effects would
not have to be considered to compass
its defeat. At any rate, if the Legis-
lature of the State of Florida is so
far prejudiced against principles Of
common right, that lit would enact
such a law, there would be no hope
in appeal from Phillip drunk. to
Phillip sober"
AS to the effort to increase taxation
of public service corporations generi-
cally, there can be no reason found
in present needs beyond the volume
of present revenues. 1t is not the
dearth, of taxable items under pres
ent laws, but rather the equalization
of the burdens already imposed, that
should merit the attention of our
lawmakers.
Under the present railroad tax law,
We have indeed proposed to bring to
] the attention of the Legislature the
ioperation given to it, whereby under
a semblance of protection to the
roads, in the coordinate judgment
of a board for appraisment. the en-
tire authority is arrogated to himself
Individually by one of its members.
This / state upon written admission
of another OF the members of the
board; and as directly contrary to
the statement contained in the official
report of railroad assessments
But If this should be taken as a
charge against methods of enforce
ment and Individuals, rather than
against the provisions of the law it
self, it can yet be maintained that
(as any reputable attorney will adj
mit) the present statute is fatally de-
fective, as directly violative of both
Federal and State Constitutions in
not providing for any right of review
and equalization. That this has new
er been so questioned by the trunk
lines, warrants an inference that they
have never felt the injustice that the
small roads do by valuation of their
properties either upon basis of in
trinsic worth or relatively. The small
er ones generally do as they are bid
den in abject submission; because it
may be cheaper to suffer injustice
than to combat it at law, the only
alternative. Individuals. suffering
under a sense of wrong in their as
, sessments! have an opportunity to be
heard before an independent body OF
y review. The railroads have the
: empty privilege of making returns
that the Comptroller is at liberty to