The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1911-04-16
Joint Resolution is Intro
duced by Senator ]. w.
Henderson.
PROVIDES FOR AN AMENDMENT
TO THE CONSTITUTION REEFS
TABLIsHING OFFICE WHICH
WAS ABANDONED IN 1ss5-REP-
REsENTATWE SMITH INTRO
DucEs A RESOLUTION WHICH
CALLS FOR INVESTIGATION.
BY J. n. Reese.


Tallahassee, Fla, April 15.-E1wfia
win again have a lieutenant governor
If joint resolution introduced by Sem
ator John W. Henderson this morning
Is adopted.
The resolution provides Tor an
amendment to the constitution re-es-
tablishing the ONCE of lieutenant gD~-
ernor, which was abolished when the /
constitution of 1885 was adopted.
Senator Henderson has several rea-
sons which viii be urged as suf1cient
for the adoption of his resolution. He
limits the salary of the lieutenant gov
ernor to $500 a year; the lieutenant
governor would be the presiding officer
of the senate and would cast the de.
Gliding vote In cases of tie: he would
be the successor to the governors
peachment; he would be elected ON TIE
same platform with the governor, ana
consequently there would be no sud-
den change Of policy, as might be ths
case under the present rule of success
sion. At least this Is the theory, but
it might not work In actual practice,
for few years ago the country wit
messed the reversal of this plan In thu
case Of Louisiana; the governor went
away and the lieutenant governor
seized advantage of the opportunity to
put through some Of hts policies which
were antago1istic to the governors
administration. But Senator Hender-
sons plan is likely to obtain In most
cases for the greater part of the Tina
Mr. Henderson thinks the present
plan of electing the interim successor
to the governor lacks much Of being as
Democratic as it is possible to have It.
There are t1lirty-two members of the
senate, and q majority elects the pre-
siding officer, who is the legal success
sor to the chief executive under con-
tingencies provided. Seventeen men.
therefore, elect the man who is liable
to fill the most important office in the
state. Under the provisions Of the
Henderson resolution the speaker o.
the house VIII become the incumbent
of the governors chair Il that execu-
tive and the lieutenant governor should
by fate or circumstances vacate the
Office. Mr.. Henderson contends that
the house Is more representative OF the
people than the senate, and that the
speaker is the logical successor under
the accepted form Of government than
the president of the senate.
bGlllS COuSL1LOl4O1L6A 640<4401Ik<A4l9
the people viii vote on It, provided the
legislature passes the resolution, at
the general election IN 1912. It Win
not be possible, therefore. TO elect
lieutenant governor when the next
governor is chosen. as the resolution
provides that the first lieutenant gov
ernor shall be elected In 1914 10 serve
two years until the next general saeo-
tion.
Senator Henderson believes the
resolution WIN pass. He can see DO
reason why it should not, except tbs
salary of five hundred dollars q year.
and this he does not consider q serious
obstacle as compared with the advan-
tage of having the Office as part Of
the constituted state government.
AN INFORMATION BUREAU. q
The Legislative Information Bureau
has been organized by the newspaper
correspondents In Tallahassee for tbs
session, and promises to supply a de-
nand which has been wanting at pre-
vious sessions.
The bureau VIII begin next week TO
issue a special calendar OF bills that
are certain or likely to affect the pub-
lie service corporations, the classes.
professions and industries In which
large capital is invested. A subscrip-
ton price is charged for this servics,
and number OF subscribers have
already been entered. It viii be q
part of the service to furnish copies
Of the bills upon request OF the sub
scribers. The operation OF the enter-
prise win tend to have q good deal OF
time and worry to the heads OF the
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