The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1910-12-30

L
vocated an inheritance tax. as a
means of preventing the succession
and perpetuation of congested for.
tunes, in amounts far beyond the re-
quirements even for luxuriant living.
GOVERNMENT AID.
Probably the most taking part OF
Mr.. Blount's speech was his declara
ton that he favored government aid
in the construction Of hard roads. He
stated that the constitutional power of
congress to make appropriations for
this purpose existed and that the SUI
preme court of the United States had
upheld the constiurtionality Of the
principle. He declared that the power
existed under the provision OF the
constitution with reference to post
roads. That by constructing hard
roads the average rural post route can
be increased from twenty-four to thir-
ty-six miles daily. This means
yearly saving of one-thiri of the cost
of the road for delivery service-in
| round numbers twelve million dollars
a year. At one thousand dollars per
mile for constructing hard roads.
twelve thousand miles per year could
be constructed with this saving. That
the farmer would have the advantage
of these public highways, and would
be directly benefited in increasing
| the carrying capacity Of his teams, in
| hauling his products to market. It
| will of course take time to accomplish
all this, but the plan had already
been inaugurated in bill! which had
been introduced by Senator Bankhead
| of Alabama. and that if he (Blount)
should be sent to the senate. he would
give this measure, or any other meas
ure looking to this result, his earnest
support
| The speaker then referred to the
| only argument which his opponents
made against him-that he was attor-
ney of the l.. & N. railroad. This he
admitted he had been since 1885, and
declared that he represented them in
their legal business during that time
faithfully and to the best of his abili-
ty, as he had the many other clients
uho had entrusted him with their
business: but that he had never been
subservient in any way to that cor
poration. That while a member of the
constitutional convention of 1885 he
had voted for the provision providing
for the establishment of a railroad
commissions; for the provision prevent
ing the state or any county from
guaranteeing the Indebtedness Of a
corporation or levying any tax to aid
a corporation; and other measures OF
like character. He had also given
much Of his time and effort to secur.
ing for Pensacola another railroad
which would compete with the l.. & n
for business to that place and benefit
its commercial interest. In all these
things he had shown that in discharg
ing the duties Of attorney for the
L. & n. he had never surrendered his
independence as man or citizen II
eletced to the senate he world resign
his connection with the l., & n. and
would serve his new clients-the peo
pie of the state of Florida-With the
same faithfulness, zeal and ability
that he had served his other clients
He then alluded to the misrepresen
tation of some of the adheretns Of the
other candidates in trying to make il
appear that he was too proud to ask
the vote of a poor man. He stated that
this was absolutely untrue: that he
had printed and circulated thousands
of copies Of the letter upon which
this calumny was alleged to be based
That he had nothing to conceal in thai
1
any man to find in that letter any dis
tinction drawn in his attitude to thu
poor man. He had throughout his en-
tire life been accustomed to show the
same consideration to his fellow mai
without regard to the distinction o
rank or circumstance in life, but b.
consoled himself that like charge:
had been made against Washington
because he was a landed proprietor
and against Jefferson because of tn
prodigality with which he had enter
tanned while an occupant of tn
White House.
He then spoke Of the high characte
and great responsibility OF the dutie
. of a senator; that he was not only
law maker--one Of less than hun
dred who legislate,1 for hundred mi
lion of people-but the senator va
J also a part of the treaty making pow
err. and had to act upon treaties tina
held within them the fortunes of peac
2 and war
? T. A the conclusion of Mr.. Blount's &C
= dress nearly the entire audience cam
> forward and extended personal gree
I irps tn tha candidate