Gainesville daily sun. (Gainesville, Fla.) 190?-1938, 1909-05-25
rHs GOVERNORS MESSAGE.

on Friday last Governor Giichrlst
sent a special message 10 the Legis-
iature on the WALES claim. IN the
opinion OF The Index. there was no
special reason for sending In a mes
sage on this subject az this time. as
both branches OF the Legislature had
previously declined % favcrably con.
slider the Wales claim.
But the GvernOrs message. which
-5vered hftcon pages OF closely type
written leEal-cap sheets. offered 90.
he u anything new IN regard 20 the
history or merits Of the claim. An
explanation as 70 Why be thought the
s25.OO0 appropriated six years ago.
"a a suggestion az 20 a division be-
tween WALES and Beard. were In
Guided In the meaFage; but these. too
are intangible.
In another message 90 the Senate
90 Monday. the Governor. Ia referring
3D.. the WALES clam message. stated
az certain newspapers OF the Stale
d minated. dRectly or Indirectly.
hat the Legislature had repudiated
tie States solemn obligation and
taat. IN order 20 have the people
know that the honor OF the State Is
protected. he had sent copies Of the
message to these newspapers for pub
location. but so far they had refused
TO do so.
The Governor. In the opinion Of The
Index. cannot consistently feel az
grieved because this message has not
been printed. It's contents would ill
the. columns OF the average weekly
paper, 20 the utter exclusion OF all
other matter. and the larger papers.
with sufficient space 70 carry the
message. might easily be forgiven for
devOting their columns 20 real. live
news matter. Besides. those news
papers that have taken the time and
trouble 10 examine into the merits Of
the WALES claim. may be pGrdoned
for entertaining views different from
those expressed In the Governors
message. especially after considering
the able and exhaustive report sub
mitted by the Senate Committee Of
1903. and reported to the Senate over
the signature OF w. A. BlOunt. Act
ing Chairman"
So far as The Index knows. the
present Legislature has not been
charged with repudiatlng the Obliga.
lions OF the State. but IL cannot be
denied that as long as Colonel WALES
ls denied the right 20 have his claim
adjudlcated by the courts OF the
State the conclusion Is inevitably |
forced upon The Index. and other
of the State. and the
people Of Florida generally. that the
Legislature. though not repudiating |
The claim. Is creating a condition with |
similar results.
no better argument has been Offer.
~ III ENNNNAA Vi Aiit NhAiA VI NNNaAANA Il
WALES friends 90 get this claim into |
the courts OF the State than Is con |
iained IN the Governors message a. /
self. This document. from the begin !
Ing 20 end. Is a mass Of acts. con |
tracts. resolutions. accounts. opinions
guosses. conclusions aud other more |
and confusing matter that |
positively and forever precludos the |
average legislator-fOr nO other rea- |
son than lack OF time 90 study law and |
mastering the details |
OF the claim. that a reasonable and |
Just conclusion might be reached.
The Index having been one Of the !
Governors most ardent supporters In !
the last campaign. and feeling that |
les editor can SAN clsim the right % |
be bis friend. writes this In explana
ton and defense OF the country press
Of Florida. those papers which were
his strongest supporters when he
needed them. and which do not de-
serve his censure. Lake City In
dex. May "a