Suwannee Democrat. (Live Oak, Fla.) 1897-current, 1909-05-28
THE GOVERNORS MESSAGE.

On Friday last Governor Gilehriss
sent especial message TO the LEGISLATURE
on the Wales claim. In the opinion OF
the Index. there was no special reason
for sending in a message on this subject
at this time. as both branches Of the
Legislature had previously declined 70
fayorably consider the Wales claim
But the Governors message, which
covered fifteen pages of closely type
written legaI-cap sheets, offered nttle
if ANYTHING new in regard to the history
or merits of the claim. An explanatiOn
as to why he thought the $25,WO ap-
dropriated six years ago, and s1gges-
ton as to a division between wales
and Beard, were included IN the mes
SAGE. but these, too, are intangible. u
In another message to the Senate On
Monday. the Governor, IN referring 70
the Wales claim message, stated thar
certain newspapers Of the State had IN
timated, directly or indirectly, that tne
Legislature had repudiated the STATE
solemn obligation and that in order 70
have the people know that the honor 0!
the State is protected, ne had sent
copies Of the message to these neWSpa-
pers for publication, but so far they
had refused to do so. =,
The Governor, in the opinion OF the
Index, can not consistently feel ag-
grieyed because this message has not |
been printed It's contents would MI
| the columns of the average weekly pa
pers. to the utter exclusion OF all otner
matter, and the larger papers, Win
sufficient space to carry the message
might easily be forgiven for deyotlng
their columns to real, live news matter.
Besides. those newspapers that nave
taken the time and trouble to examine
into the merits of the Wales clam,
NAV be pardoned for entertaining views
different from those expressed IN tne
Governors message, especially a11er
Considering the able and exhaustive re-
mort submitted by the Senate Commit
| tee of 1903, and reported to the Senate
over the signature Of "W. A. Bloun1
| Acting Chairman. "
So far as the Index knows, the pres
ent Legislature has not been charged
with regulating the obligations OF the
State. but it can not be denied that as
long as Colonel Wales is denied the
right to have his claim adjudicated by
the courts of the State the conclusion
IS inevitably forced upon the Index,
and other newspapers Of the State, and
the people of Florida generally, that
the Legislature, though not rePudlatlng
the claim, is creating a condition with
! similar results. r.,
No better argument has been offered
| in support of the effort Of Colonel
, Wales friends to get this claim INTO
2 the courts of the State than is contained
in the Governors message ITSELF
, This document, from beginning to end
is a mass of acts, contracts, resOlu-
tons, accounts, opinions, guesses, con-
illusions and other more mystltyng anC
: confusing matter that positively anC
forever precludes the average leglsia,
tOr-for no other reason than lack Of
!. time to study law and histOry-trOH
:. mastering the details of the claim, thai
j a reasonable and Just conclusion NIGH
f be reached. -
The Index having been one OF tn
e Governors most ardent supporters Il
If the last campaign, and feeling that lt
h editor can still claim the right to be nj
a friend, writes this in explanation AM
defense of the country press Of Florida
&c those papers which were bis strOnges
to supporters when he needed them, an
IS which do not deserve his censure. =
q Lake City Index.
ot There were no good reasons why tn
is newspapers of Florida should have put
20 lished the special message Of GOvernO
!, Gilchrist to the Legislature on tn
" Wales claim. The facts IN this clan
" against the State have been threshe
IS out time and time again, and the Gov
ey ernor, in his message, brought OF
eI- nothing of special interest to the ave-
r. age newspaper reader. 1t was a n
hash of the old acts, contracts, resOll
m tons, opinions, ETC., together VIII
NO some recommendations and suggestion
)w and little or nothing touching the merI
Ia of the claim. Besides it was OF SUD
Mt great length as to make it absolute
ch impossible to publish it in the Dem
in crat without excluding all other new
He matter, and for this reason, no dOuh
,rk it was not generally published by t
led weekly newspapers of the State.
&C. The Democrat believes this clai
9nt like all others, should stand upon
ion merits. We believe the State Of FlC
ISL ida should pay every dollar it honest
ing owes, and that without 50 much IT
tape"