The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1909-04-07
The Governors Message to
the Florida Legislature.


bert w Gilchrist has been awaited
with interest. It's transmission to the
legislature yesterday has allayed
anxiety; for taken altogether it is a
sane, we'll balanced document and
most of the recommendations it con-
Veys will be generally approved. A
superficial reading OF it's sixty-four
pages, however, leaves a regret that
there is not more of Gilchrist in II
and less of voluminous quotations
from judges, commissioners and others
TO whom the governor has appealed
for advice.
The message covers a multitude of
questions beginning with the Bill of
Rights" and ending with what may be
called the bill OF Wrongs the latter
being an itemized account of extrava-
CANT appropriations made by the leg
islature of 1907 which the state has
not had money to pay and which
therefore cause at least temporary
deficiency. Almost every topic dis
cussed is prefaced by the opinion of
some other officer or officers which
meets, as a rule, with the governors
sanction. But on several points he
expresses independent. views; one of
the most striking being the few plain,
but pertinent words he has to say re-
garding past lobbying operations and
those threatened during the present
session.
Il was a foregone conclusion that
Governor GilchTist would deprecate
any overt influence being exercised
on the mind of the peoples law
makers. He does this with emphasis
and concludes what he has to say with
what may be termed Gilchristian sar-
Casm. 1T has been claimed" he de-
clares, that lobbyists have tried to
exert undue influence with some past
Legislatures. 1t is possible that some
such efforts will be exerted some time
in the future" Quite so. In the very
near future, unless, unless-a regiment
of soldiers is stationed in the capitol
to nab the offenders by the scruff of
the neck and land them in the hills of
4sCOAs vi II may bU luCil 1iAG td6i 10
eye of the governor and certain Sc
lect true hearts of his own choosing
may succeed in intimidating the ras-
Gals to the point of trembling inef-
fectiveness.
But to our mind the crux of the sit
uation is right there. The legislators
of the state should be protected from
every selfish interference and be per-
mitted to act in the fear of God alone
and for the welfare of the people of
Florida. They should be left to
serious. unbiased consideration of the
questions the governor has recon-
mended them to take up and several
others which he has omitted Else
their efforts will be in vain and the
state will be loser instead OF q
gamer by the session of 1909.
It must be clear to everyone as well
as TO the governor that the important
matters he has laid before the legis-
lature should be considered upon their
own merits with regard TO their power
to promote the public veal, and that
no petty IuOllNG OF desire SnOutQ IN
trude itself to affect final action upon
them. The question of a graduated
inheritance tax; of proper DISPOSE
tion OF the convict question: the reg
uIation of the states national guard:
the just application of the pension
laws; legislation to govern legal
prosecutions and processes of the
courts; the paramount issue for pro-
viding funds for educational purposes
rendered necessary by the recent de-
cision of the supreme court; the edu-
cational propaganda to instruct the
voters Of the state concerning consti-
tutional amendments which may be
submitted for their approval; the wis
dom Of comforting upon the state
board of health sovereign control over
contagious and infectious diseases
all these weighty matters and many
more whieh the governor has called