The Chipley banner. (Chipley, Washington County, Fla.) 1893-1943, 1912-03-14

senator Fl0urnoy's amendment to the
bill was first offered the expressions
Of approval FROM all who heard or
read II, we're practically unanimous
and on Its adoption there was but a
single dissenting vote and that on the
ground that the appointment should
not be left to the Governor. Even the
veteran, Senator Hunt Harris, recog.
nized as the watchdog Of the corpor.
alton interests said in speech: "The
amendment Is the best that has ever
been introduced in this Senate; il
solves the problem that has vexed the
people of this State for years; it lie
most carefully worded and framed,
and the speech Of Senator Flourno.
leaves nothing to be said in its favor,
in that his facts are incontroverti
bic and his argument unanswerable.
This Senate could pass that amend.
ment and adjourn sine die, and we
would have paid the State for all ex.
penses" And the De Funiak Breeze
remarked at the time that with such
exercise of the veto power, the pow.
er of government rests in the will OF
the most limited minority the great
expense OF the session yields no
benefit, and the individual sacrifices
of the members of the Legislature,
and their sedulous thoughtful efforts
to better the laws and conditions and
to promote the general welfare, are
wanted"
Among the important bills of other
Senators towards the passage OF
which Senator Fiournoy gave freely
of his time and talents, was one in
troduced by Senator johnson of the
18th District, prohibiting fire insur
ance companies doing business in this
State, in the absence of fraud, mis-
representation or deceit, from setting
up as a defense against the payment
of policy, lack OF title in the party
insuring. The bill passed both houses
and was vetoed by the Governor Re
ferring to the failure (by a single
vote) of an effort to pass it over the
veto the De Funiak Breeze in an edi
torial remarked that Senator Flour
noy, in his speech stated that he was
not there as the special representa-
tive OF any faction or class, that he
held it to be the duty of Senator
to advocate measures on their merits
alone, and not from the viewpoint OF
factionalism, and that sentiment per
vaded his every speech and vote
While he is. justly classed with the
anti-corporation Senators, the others
recognize his business and fairness in
all matters, and never in a single in
stance was his honesty of purpose
questioned by any one" His speech
ordered to be spread upon the jour
nal, and too long to be here quote,
was masterpiece of concise and
persuasive reasoning and convincing
logic in which he reviewed and critt
cised the Governors veto message
with courteous but forcibie eloquence
and participated in an episode ques
tioning and repartee, with the op
ponents OF the measure which gave
unfeigned delight to all who heard
1t.
Senator Flournoy was profoundly
Interested in the fate of bill intro
duced by Mr.. Newton, in the session
of 1909, and amended in the Senate,
providing for a State Board of Pen
sions, and making many radical
changes in the pension law, in an ef
fort not only to economic the State
revenues, but to eliminate from the
pension roll many names of persons
unworthily receiving its benefits. In
opposing the passage of the bill
Senator Flournoy uttered one of the
most eloquent tributes to the Confed
crate veterans, living and dead, ever
heard In the Senate Chamber. His
speech, which was ordered spread up
on the pages of the journal, is too
long to be here quote in full. He said
in part: mr.. President, assume
as understood and gathered from the
language of the bill, and the discus.
sion, that these two questions, (reduc.
ton of the expenses of the State gov.
eminent and revising the pension
roll), are the real issue that moved
and instigated the formation and sub.
mission to this Legislature of House
Bill No. sos. Yet, submit that while
the end desired to be achieved may
be, and is right and necessary, the
means by which It Is 10 be accom-.
plished, are not, TO my mind, com
mendable. We should not in our eff
fort to reduce the expense of the gov
eminent or TO reduce the grand total
necessary to pay those who are en-
listed as entitled to the benefits OF
the pension act permit ourselves 10
draw distinctions which are not prom
or OF fair or TO create new rules re
quiring additional action on the part
of those grand old warriors, causing