The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1912-03-23

On March Sth Mr.. Clark appeared
before the investigating committee
The following is a quotation from page
of the American Pure Food Journal
Of Chicago of March H. 1912:
"The climax came in the form of a
Photographic copy of letter Clark
wrote to V. w. Helm, vice president
of the Everglades Land Sales Co, OF
Chicago. Solicitor R1cCabe produced
and made Clark admit that he had
written it. In that letter, Clark sug
gested that the land company enter a
deal with him to sell $4,000 acres OF
cut over timber land, not in the
'glades, and therefore in a way com
peting with the lands the same com
pany was trying to put on the market
Clark said the owner wanted 100000
for the land and that he and Helm
could divide anything over that sum.
Before submitting 81 copy of the let
ter McCabe asked If it was not a fact
that Clark had tried to actively asso-
ciate himself with some of the land
companies he had been denoun cling as
land sharks. Clark said he did not
think so. which is a, funny answer for
straightforward man to make. in
volving a sum with regard to a matter
that would look respectable to even
John D. Rockefeller"
Clark also stated in the letter that
people oftentimes wrote to him to sell
lands, as he naturally oEme in contact
with various northern people.
STATEMENTS SOMEWHAT VARIED
Compare the foregoing quotation
with the statement of Mr.. Clark, i
have not a foot of Florida land for
sale in any part of the state" etc. 1t
is for you to decide whether he has
been caught in lie or not. | never
compared the dates of the two In
stances. That technically might save
him. Before this letter was allowed to
be read to the committee, it was
handed around to the various mem
bers so that they could examine it as
to it's relevancy. After it had been
carefully examined, the committee al
lowed 1t to be read. Mr.. Clark admit
ted having written 1t, stating also that
he was not working for his health.
The only means by which such a let
ter could have been admitted as evil
dence was to show its relevancy as to
the motive of Mr.. Clark in attacking
land in a part of the state. the sale Of
which would compete with that which
he was endeavoring to sell. 1t will oe
observed that this letter was written
to the head of the Everglades Land
Sales Company, one OF the companies
which, according to Mr.. Clark, should
be selling land by the quart instead of
by the acre.
In the report made by General Har-
ney, General Jesup and half a dozen or
more army officers to the secretary OF
the treasury in 1S4S, which officers
served in the Seminole war, they all
agree as to the feasibility of the drain
aRe of the Everglades and the fer
fifty of the SOIL In the various re-
ports made by the joint legislative
committees on the Everglades. con-
sisting each OF two members OF the
senate and three of the house. they
all agree as to the feasibility of the
drainage and as to the fertility of the
soil. These committees quoted what
they had seen growing on the reclaim
ed land.
1t is the intention of the trustees of
the internal Improvement fund to dig
other canals--in fact, the completion
of another canal to West Palm Beach
has assumed definite shape. AS to the
drainage of the Everglades, it is sole
" question of digging a sufficient
number of canals. There is at pres
ent water in the Glades. If there were
no water there would be no necessity
for drainage. This is a great project,
involving drainage, irrigation and
transportation. 1t is the greatest pro-
ject, being second only to that of the
Panama canal. The $3.50 square miles
in the Everglades are larger than
Rhode Island and Connecticut COM
bined.
JUST ONE CONGRESSMAN.
1t remains for a congress sman in
whose district is situated the Ever
glades to say in congress land eight,
ten and twelve feet under water: land
that ought to have been sold by the
quart instead of by the acre. Qsaugh-
teri. Sic EN-, Tige." He furthermore
said: Il do not intend. Mr.. Speaker,
to be put in the attitude Of opposing
this great work Of internal improve
ment. l do not know whether it can
be done or not" It is highly probable
he does not know, because he has evil
IDENTIFY never examined the4 subject
do not know of any one who has ex-
amined it who says that this work can
not be done. The legislatures Of Flor
ida in 1s45, 1S47 and recent legis-
latures of 1905, 1907, 1909 and 1911, the
governor and four of the cabinet. con-
stituting the trustees of the internal
Improvement fund in 1855 and succeed
ing years-1SS1-S5, 1SS5-S9, 1901-05
1905-1909 to the present date, have
considered that it could be done. Nc
governor or cabinet has ever taker
the opposite position. Various civil
engineers have considered that il
could be done. OF those who ought tc
know what can be done MIR Clark Is