Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1907-02-19
GOVERNOR BROWkRD
IS The MAIN FIGURE
In the Political Struggles In
Florida.
POLITICS HAD NO ERA OF GOOD
Since Governors Inauguration Two
Years Ago His Every Policy Has
Met the Stern Opposition of the
Forces Which Opposed Him.

Tallahassee, Fla, Feb. 18.-Six
weeks hence the Florida legislature
will meet in this city in regular BIZ
ennial session, whion will last sixty
days. 1t will be the second and last
|, gisiatiye session during Governor
BI0gar1 5 2dmiIistIa, ion, and while
il cannot be said that there is uf-
gegt ne5d fer a great amount Ct leg
islaJi0n, T seems entirely certain
that tne session will be one of the
ivlies,, scIappiest and most inter
estiEg he'd in Florida for many years.
Since Governor Broward's inaug-
ration over two years ago, his ad~
ministration and all of the policies
which he has adopted and advocated
have rad the persi 5tent and unyield
ing opposition CT the forces which
opposed his election. This has been
10 era of good feeling in Florida poll
itics. Devotion to, and passion
a3ai15,, Governor BroWagd have been
very pronounced; yet the personal
and political strength of this unusual
ilACAi o'S IL ~ Id Z SlliL Cl CN LIZ VI
lninuation. The masses of the peo-
pie undoubtedly believe in him,
1t is not at all ce.tain whether the
legislature viii be organized by the
friends or by political foes ~of the
governor. 1t does seem certain, that
not matter by whom it may be Or
ganized. there will be forces in it's
membership at work who will lead
an uncompromising tireless fight
against the present adm inistration,
particularly against Governor Brow
ard.
Al the general election last No
ember the governor suffered a tenn
torary defeat. During the campaign
which preceded he had thrown his en-
tire strength into the support of an
amendment to the state constitution
incorporating into that fundamental
law mandatory provision for the
drainage Of he Florida Everglades,
The ICl:cy back Of this fight was to
save the. 5000 900 acres of public
lands, title to which is still vested
in the trustees Of the internal i'm
ircyement fund from the claims of
land 9rant railroads and other corper-
2tions, ard to drain these lands for
the benefit of settlers who might pur-
chase them from the state The
same forces which had opposed Gov
ernor Brcward prior to his nomination
in 1904 led ,he fight against the con-
stitutioral amendment, which he so
warmly espoused. The opposition
won. 1t was the most decisive de-
feat which the governor had ever en-
countered.
Yet the governor was in no sense
d:smayed. The last legislature had
enacted a statute providing for the
drainage Of the Everglades; and, even
without that enactment, it is claim
ed by the administration that it was
both authorized and required by
old law to carry out these drainage
operations
The administration has been ham
pered more by suits in the courts than
by the vote at the polls. The work
Of drainage has been somewhat inn
peded by the issuance of injuncrions
obtained in the federal courts by, the
claimants to the lands These suits
attack the constitutionality of the sta
tutes under which the administration
is carrying on the drainage opera
tons, as we'll as the sufficfency of
the act of 1905, to authorize the levy
of a drainage tax.
1t is just here that the hardest fight
of the legislative session may be exy
pected to develop. The organiza=
ton of the legislature is expected
to furnish test of strength between
the opposing forces, and it is awaited
with keenest interest all over Florida.