The San Mateo item. (San Mateo City, Putnam County, Fla) 189?-19??, 1909-05-01
NEWS OF THE LEGISLATURE.

Hon. Ion l.. Farris, speaker OF the
house OF representatives, received a
communication from William Jennings
Bryan, accepting the invitation ten
dered him to address the legislature
IL will probably be next month be
fore he can come, as he has a mum
Der OF engagements. This comes as
the result OF a speech by Congress
man Clark in the Florida house de-
Tending his action in congress In as
sailing the Nebraskan. Following hts
speech the Legislators cried: 'Hur.
rah for Bryant" and sent telegrams
TO him TO speak before the house
Congressman Clark has announced his
intention OF being present
When large tracts Of land are sold
In the future by the state, public no
tice will have TO be given under the
provisions Of the bill by Mr.. Sloan OF
the Seventh, passed by the senate Un
der suspension OF the rules. II
is probable that the bill will be pass
ed by the house and signed by the
governor.
The proposition that the Legislature
shall guarantee bets on the races is
meeting with considerable favor.
A resolution providing for the ap-
pointment OF a committee Of i've,
three from the house and two from
the senate, to investigate the work
Of reclaiming the Everglades and the
canal work on the East Coast, was
adopted in the house.
The immigration project is being
championed by DUPONT, Of St. Johns;
his immigration bill, bearing an ap-
preparation for the carrying on of
the work, has received a favorable
report OF the committee. Many rail
road rate bills, telegraph rate bills,
and dozens OF banking bills have been
introduced, but are not meeting with
the approval Of the committees; one,
however, OF each class has been re-
ported favorable. McWilliams' bill,
giving the railroad commissioners
more power. placing all telegraph
companies under them the same as
railroads; Alexander's bill providing
a rate not In excess OF % cents for
messages of ten or less words, and
cents for words in excess OF ten, from
any point I'm Florida TO another In the
state, are the main telegraph bills.
While the railroad rate bills are: one
for 3 cents per mile, another for 81
cents per mile.
A Bill entitled an act to protect 60
piers was introduced in the house.
In a special message TO the legis-
lature Governor Gilchrist recommend
ed that the constitution be SO amend
ed as TO make the state treasurer a
member Of the pardoning board In
place Of the attorney general.
Senator Sloan and Representative
Taylor have introduced bills In the
senate and house respectively pr0vid-
ing for the repeal of Article 1851 OF
the general statutes Of Florida, relat'
ing TO the making and selling OF pools.
Both gentlemen express themselves
as believing that pool selling Is the
bad feature Of horse racing, and will
urge the passage OF their bills. II
the bills are passed the horse racing
game will be killed In Florida. There
Is, OF course, strong opposition to the
bills, but indications are that mum
Der favor It's passage.
Representative Stokes OF Escambia
introduced his loan shark" bill IN
the house. The bill Is entitled, An
Act TO define and prohibit usury and
usurious contracts IN this state, and
providing penalty for the violation Of
J this act. ,...4l.l-