The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1911-06-13

the house ordered printed, daily, 1000
journals to be mailed to the various
constituents, the state paying the post
age. The senate ordered 1000 copies
Of the journal, to be so mailed. rha
house created Il temporary department
consisting of d journal clerk and sew
eral assistants. l understand that the
assistant sergeant-at arms of the sem
ate performed such duties. During at
least some of the past legislatures,
when members wished to stand in
with their constituents by sending
them journals, they had them sent at
their own expense. All the bills for
postage on journals have not yet been
presented to the comptroller. l learn
thPt the amount so far paid out for
such postage is in the vicinity Of
$4,000 The postage alone FOR each
member of the Legislature cost to the
state. for this little political courtesy
to his constituents, about $50. The
bill for all the journals has not yet
been sent in. l learn that the cost %
printing the journals viii aggregate
fully 100000. Some legislatures in the
past have only ordered about 1000
copies, only few, if any, being sent
out at the expense of the safe. The
cost of postage, the extra cost of
Journals the cost of mailing the same
cost the state probably in the neigh
borhocd of 900, being about 500
per member of the Legislature. When
legislators are eXtravagant in affairs
concerning such matters, they are
usually eXtravagant in ether mat
tiers.
sincerely trust that the legislature
Of 1913 will continue the good WORK
Of the legislature of 1911, by passing
laws simplifying court procedure and
| ne IL iChf 81
due process of law rather than making
extreme technicalities the end of such
due process. l hope that the members
of the next legislature will be elected
in accord with such.
The legislature of 1911 authorized the
governor to appoint a committee If
three members, TO draft laws and sub
nit recommendations along this line TO
the next governor, prior to the conven~
ing Of the next Legislature.
A proper law relating to a fair and
just assessment of personal property is
demanded. For the year 1910, the as
sessed value of all personal property
in Florida was $50, 6S9, 074.00. The ac-
tual value of all personal property was
between $500, 100000 and $400, 000, 900.
On account of Section l of Article TX
of the State Constitution, Florida is
one of the nine states having the gen
eral property tax qualification. The
general property tax has been defined
'as a system of assessing each person
all the personal property he possesses
and taxing this sum at the same rate
as real estate" This system has
! broken down by it's inherent de-
4fects. I quote from an able re-
| port of a committee appointed by the
| legislature of Rhode Island. THE
committee quotes the opinions of in
vestiagting commissions in nine states
whose constitutions require the gener-
al property tax These reports all have
been made within the last five years,
and in no case does the investigating
! committee advocate more strict en-
| forcement of the general property tax
| as a cure for the evils which all have
| found to exist under this system.
Each of these states, with single ex-
| ception, has advised the abandonment
! of the attempt to tax all property at
uniform rate and by the same
method"
The committee finds the breaking
down of the general property tax sys-
| tenn attributable to two reasons: First,
| because under modern conditions it
cannot be enforced extensively; sec
ond, because of a more or less consci
| encious recognition OF the fact that a
| strict enforcement would result in a
| still greater injustice than now pre-
| wallis
| It may be well to quote Section ! of
Article TX of the State Constitution
heretofore referred to:
| The legislature shall provide for a
| uniform and equal rate of taxation
and shall prescribe such regulations as
| shall secure a just valuation of all
property, both real and personal"
etc.
| I hope that the members of the next
| legislature will be elected in accord
with such.