The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1911-05-17
BY J. n. Reese,

Tallahassee, May 16.-The only i'm
portant measure that came up in the
senate today was the bill of Senator
Stokes providing for an eight-hour day
/ for all state, city and county en-
ployees. He made vigorous fight for
the bill, assisted by Seantors McMul-
ler. Dayton and Zim. The lines were
. sharply drawn and the terms socialism
and capitalism were frequently used
and a good deal of oratorical phosphor-
ous ignited.
Stokes said it was the persistent OPP
position of just such measures that
were driving the people into socialism,
whereas Senatar Flournoy, who acted
as attorney for things as they are, said
he could see no physical or psyche
logical reason why a laborer should be
limited to eight hours work a day.
The senate as a body endorsed his
View by killing the Stokes bill to the
tune of Is to s.
PRIMARY LAW VALID.
The supreme court, through Justice
Whitfield, decided today the case Of
the State VS.. Hugh G. Bethea, of De-
Soto county, which involves the con-
Stit Itionality of the primary law of
1909. The court decides that the law
! is constitutional, thereby reversing the
decision of Judge Wall.
The house tonight passed the senate
substitute bill providing for eleven
judicial circuits. There were no
amendments and only three opposing
votes.
The income tax amendment is the
special order for Thursday morning in
the senate.
CONSIDER APPROPRIATION BILLS.
Tuesday morning has been set for
the consideration in the house of prac-
tic2ly all the appropriation bills now
before the body.
Indefinite postponement was the fate
that overlook Mr.. Watson's adroitly
conceived appropriation of fifty thou
sand dollars for the Florida insane asy-
lum, payable quarterly from the funds
received from the lease of state con-
victs.
Led by Matthews of Bradford, a long
wrangle over the question of raising
the comptroller's salary from S2,5OO to
81 600 per year was carried on this
morning. Many amendments and a
substitute were offered, the one finally
adopted being to grant him a yearly
increase of only $1,000. Speaker Jen-
nings left his chair to argue in favor
of the bill.
Dorman of Suwannee, succeeded in
passing by a vote of forty-one to eight
his bill authorizing the governor to
complete the historical archives of the
state, and making an appropriation for
that purpose.
Mr.. Wall also had the pleasure Of
seeing his bill appropriating $4,000
for the erection of a monument at
Chickamauga to commemorate the
soldiers of Florida who were in the
famous battle there.
WILL MOVE TO RECONSIDER.
Mr.. Smith of Clay, will on Wednes-
he
whereby the house rejected Mr.. Vests
constitutional amendment to provide
for the adoption of the initiative and
referendum.
An interesting discussion took place
on the question of providing that the
moneys to be raised by the proposed
income tax amendment be returned to
the states in which they have been
collected instead of going to the federal
government. Speaker Jennings again
appeared upon the floor to argue in
favor of the measure, which was
adopted. 1t is a foregone conclusion
that when this federal constitutional
amendment comes up for final consid-
Grafton in a day or two it will 20
through without opposition.
TO MEMORABLE CONGRESS.
A resolution was offered in the SEN
ate this morning by Senator Dayton,
memorializing congress to return to
the state whatever moneys may be
collected under the income tax amend
ment, in case such amendment shall
be adopted. AS Thursday next is the
day appointed for the consideration of
the income tax question, Senator Day
toms resolution was deferred until that
time.
A substitute for the bill to create
scholarships for the institutions of
higher learning in this state was Of
fered by Senator Cone. The substitute
provides for a scholarship to every g.,
900 of population in each county, TO be
awarded to pupils of the high schools.
Each scholarship carries an annual
appropriation of $150,00O. The bill was
CONTINUED on Third Page)