The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1911-05-05
AhTl.RACE TRACK
BILL PASSES.
Capital Removal Measure Kill
ed in House Wednesday.
Attempt to Bribe Representative Wall.

The Florida Legislature has finally
gotten down to business, for now that
the anti.racing bill has passed both
houses and is up 10 the governor for ap.
proval, the one measure that has retarded
legislation has been removed.
The anti-race track and nti-gambling-
in .any-form bill came up as special or
der in the House of Representatives on
Wednesday, having previously passed
the Senate unanimously.
There was not word said in favor oil
the bill, and no word against it. Many
speeches had been prepared, but il was
not necessary for any one TO be deliver
ed, for at 3:15, when the two bills, the
Terrell bill and the Sloan senate bill,
came up as the special order Mr.. Chase
of Duval, leader of the fight for con-
tinuation of the race track charter, threw
up the sponge, as it were, and his friends
followed him, most of them with good
grace, one or two ungraciously.
The back of the opposition 10 the bill
was broken last night. Up 10 that time
the race track caucus claimed confident
ly they would win, and this morning,
with defeat staring them in the face,
still clung 10 the straw and said they had
a majority and one 10 spare.
The bombShell in the camp last night
was formal notice from Representative
Riley Dorman of Suwannee that they
must not count on him as either against
the bill or any amendments which would
impair its principle. There went with
MIR. Dorman, Representatives Wilson OF
ST. Johns and Jennings OF Hamilton,
each of whom gave the same sort OF
notice.
When the bill finally came TO vote
every member of the House voted aye
except Mr.. Rogers OF Marion, who
voted 70.
The House was occupied most of the
morning hour, on Thursday with Mr.
MacWilliamS' capital removal bill. This
bill provided for submitting to a vote OF
the Qualified electors at the next general
election the proposition as 10 whether
or not the state capital shall be moved
TO some point east of the Suwanee river,
and providing how the location shall be
determined should the result OF the
election be favorable TO the removal OF
the capital.
The location of the state capital is
fixed by the constitution, and, in order
TO remove the capital il is necessary first
for the Legislature 10 adopt joint reso-
luton proposing the necessary amend
ment. To pass an amendment three
fifth of each branch are required, to
submit the matter to the people, and to
adopt the amendment a majority vote OF
the people is necessary.
LII ttNOr ~
in that il sought to evade the three-fifths
vote and would require but majority to
pass. Its constitutionality, however, has
always been regarded as doubtful, and
had the bill passed, would surely have
been attacked in the courts. But the
bill failed by vote 43 to n.
The failure of this measure was great
relief to The people of Tallahassee.
Bribery Attempt Charged.
Representative Wall, of Bradford, in
troduced in the house this morning a
resolution asking for the investigation OF
the rumor that bribcS were being offered
members of the legislature to influence
their votes and he asked that commit
tee of five be appointed 10 investigate
the rumor and report TO the house.
Mr.. Wall said he was prompted to in
troduce the resolution by an experience
such as he never had before in his life.
He said that when he was on his way
home yesterday afternoon he was handed
telegraph envelope which he put into
his pocket.
After his supper he went to his room,
opened the envelope TO read its contents,
and TO his great surprise found therein
hundred dollar bill, and two fifty. dollar
bills. There was no scrap OF wiring tC
indicate whence the money came. lie
was much worried and disturbed and
called in his friend, Senator Baker, tc
consult with him as 10 what was best tc
do TO come out of the affair creditabfy
Ii was decided finally 10 call the mes
sepqer who had handed him the envel
ope, This was done and Mr.. Wall gays
him the money with this emphatic in
junction.
"Give this back to the man who gave
il TO you with my compliments and tel
him 10 go to hell" -,
Addressing the house MIR. Wall said
81 do not know from whom thi
money originally came, whether iron
| InG ldShS NOuhNy ISiS'
railroads, but ii is certain that an effor
is being made to influence the member'
of this legislature with the use of bribes.
When Mr.. Wall mentioned the mes
sage which he sent, the house and gal
lery applauded with a clapping OF hand
and the resolution went through with
rush.
1t had been Mr.. Terrill'S plan 10 asl
that the house Immediately resolve II
self into committee of the whole ant
investigate the matter right off the bat
He did make the motion, but, as II prac
tically rescinded the action OF the houS
in its adoption of the Wall resolution
failed 10 pass.
To Abolish County Treasurer.
After a spirited debate on Monday tn
senate passed senate joint resolution No
IS, providing for the abolition oil tn
office of county treasurer in the variou
counties of Florida. Senator Miller sal
the enactment of the measure woul
mean an annual saving TO the state c