The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1909-04-07
Governor Gilchrist's
Message to Legislature.
Continued From First Paae)

MESSAGE " Legislature g
Continued From First Paae)
They are all held by the state board
Of education. The money from the
hire of state convicts tsee Chap. 51JG,
Acts of 1909 is appOTtioned 10 the
counties, in proportion to the assessed
valuation of the same. During 1865
the state paid for the salaries of the
prosecuting attorneys. $4,000; for W.
nesses and jurors. SS6.T03.95. The
state also paid during 1908 for sa.ar-
les of judicial officers, exclusive OF
state attorneys, $4,000; for travelling
expenses, circuit judges. S2.0bl.16; Tor
expenses of judges IN other circuits.
S24.10, making Il total OF S42 ,0S6.&1
Fully half Of this expense was on aC-
count of criminal prosecution Add
ing this half, S2I .043-23. to sI06-303 -
makes a grand total of $127.3fTiS.
spent by the state on account of GRIN
inal prosecutions 1t IS recommended
that al least $4,000 of this amount
be annually appropriated from tho pro
ceeds from the lease of state cOnvjcts
TO be used as "A sinking fund for the
payment of these bonds: thar the TC-
maindeT of this amount. $SI3f7.1S o.
so much thereof as may be deemed
proper, be appropriated toward the
support and maintenance Of the hos
pital for the insane.
State Troops.
During the first TWO months of IdT
administration it became necessary -
call OUT some of the state troops. 4
contingent fund TO be used in defray-
ing the expenses incident to such SeT-
vices is recommended. The mere fact
of there being such wrlI-Orgsniz"d
body of state troops is OF inestimabis
value TO the state. in preventing riots
They never fail to leave their cIvn
duties to answer calls in sUppressms
riots.
DRAINAGE Tax
The drainage tax is now five cents
per acre, in addition 10 tle regular
taxes levied upon the same. This il
burdensOme. Owing TO funds arising
from various sales. the tax of as
much as five cents an acre is no long
er required. The governor should De
authorized, upon the advice and con
sent of the drainage board. 10 reduce
the same whenever deemed eXpedient
As this change may result in Law
suit, owing TO the claim that the dram
age board was using legislative pow
ers, it would be preferable to reduce
the tax from FIVE to three cents per
acre.
Taxation of Pullman Cars.
The county tax on Pullman cars
should be paid through the cOmptrOlI-
er's office instead of being collected
by the county. The present system
creates confusion and injustice. The
imposition of a suitable FAX on Pull
man cars. TO be collected Dy the comp
trolleT. and TO be distributed as the
law may direct, is recommend.
Express Companies.
The express companies. like the in
surance companies, pay but little
taxes on property. because, as the
comptroIler's report shows. they owH
but little II is recommended that
tle license tax of the express COM
panies be like that of the insurance
companies, such a per cent. on their
gross earnings. The total receipts in
Florida of the Southern Express Com
pany, for the year ending June 30.
1908. were $625, 93415. | understand
that this sum does not embrace thar
part of the Interstate business which
would be credited as coming to or
from Florida.
Graduated Inheritance Tax.
Tnirty-siX states have graduated
inheritance tax Why not make Flor
ida the thirty-Seventh? For the wear
ending October l, 1908. the inheritance
tax collected from the following states,
aggregated SLIGO, 1888; Arkansas,
California, Colorado, Connecticut, Del
aware, Idaho, Illinois. Iowa. Kentucky.
Louisiana, Maine. Maryland. Massa-
Chusetts. Michigan, Minnesota, Mis-
souri,. Montana. Nebraska. New
Hampshire. New Jersey. New York,
North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio.
Oregon. Pennsylvania; South Dakota,
Tennessee, Texas. Utal. Vermont,
Virginia, Washington, West Virginia.
Wisconsin and Wyoming.
Pension Fund.
The shortage in the pension fund
can be met only by cutting down pen
siOns- by paying some, and allowing
others TO so unpaid. by pToratiDg, By
borrowing money. or by divertinx
money from funds which are not need
ed Immediately. If The cutting down
process prevails, it should not apply
to the pensions of those who are
needy and infirm- If the amount on
hand is Drorated. this would natur-
ally diminish the payments OF all. uH-
less tle proratiOnS were made by
If only some are 10 ne
paid, this should be applicable 10
those who are needy and infrm.
Constitutional Amendments.
The passage of the following con
stitutiOnal amendments is recommend
cd. That a board, consisting of the
governor. attorney general and Seci e
tary of state. be authorized TO revise
the present constitution. by inserting
in the body of thu same the ameuI-
ments. which have already Dceu pass
ed, and which may pass al the neNt
general election These amendments
substituted in the body OF the constj-
tuition. and TO take the place of such
sections. OF articles as may &c or ma-
my have heon amended his 10 b.