The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1913-05-02
EX-GOVERNOR GILcHRIST
THE WALES CLAIM

Punta Gorda, Fla, April %. 1913.
To the Editor Ocala Banner:
l notice in the papers what appears
to me to be an organized effort to Sc
sure payment of the Wales claim.
In fact, I know one newspaper man
who wrote to another newspaper man
requesting him to write an editorial
favorable to this claim | realize that
if anyone expects to make money
through the collection of the claim,
that the person who takes any part
in opposition to the same secures the
enmity of said party. One of the
great newspapers of the state recent
ly headed an editorial substantially
intimating that the state was not hon
est in this instance.
While governor Of the state pre-
pared a special message to the legis-
lature relating to this claim. The
house ordered several hundred copies
of it printed in pamphlet form. In
my opinion, nine out of ten who read
this statement will be convinced of
the justice of the position taken by
the state.
There is bill now before the legis-
lature authorizing s l. Wales and
any other person or persons, firm or
corporation having a claim or de-
mand against the state of Florida in
sum not less than $4,000, to sue the
state"
Section % of article of the Con-
stitution of Florida provides as fol-
lows: Provision may be made by
general law for bringing suit against
the state as to all liabilities now ex-
listing or hereafter originating.
The legislature of Florida has new
er seen fit to pass any law authoriz-
ing persons or corporations to sue the
state. In fact, | have never known
of any state or nation which has done
such. Persons or corporations hav-
ing a just claim for smaller amounts
should have the same right to sue the
state as persons or corporations hav
ing a claim for $4,000 or more. The
moral right is the same in one in
stance as in the other.
The House Journal Of 1903 shows
that the present governor, Hon. Park
Trammell, voted for an appropriation
of 5000 as a just settlement of the
claim. His predecessor, Ex-Governor
Albert ". Gilchrist, as a member OF
the legislature of 1903, and as govern
or Of the state, took the same posi-
ton. l have been informed that eX-
Governor n. B. Broward, as governor,
took the same position. 1t is we'll
known fact that Ex-Governor w. S.
Jennings, as governor, took the same
position.
Examining pages 7S3 and 7S4,
House Journal of 1897. it will appear
that at least one branch of the legis-
lature at that time did not consider
that Mr.. Wales had earned his Is per
cent. That house passed a joint res
olution annulling the appointment of
S. l. Wales to represent the state in
the collection of the Indian war claim.
In the passage the vote stood: Yeas,
IS and nays IS.
In the senate this resolution was in
definitely postponed, the vote being:
Yeas, 16, and nays s.
In 1903 the senate passed a bill au-
thorizing payment to S. |. Wales and
the heirs of w. X. Beard, deceased,
the sum of $77415.43, the vote being
20 for and y against.
The house passed substitute bill
appropriating $4,000 instead of ST.
415.43, the vote in the house being:
Years, 4G; nays, 81.
The senate concurred in the sub
stitute bin of the house, now chapter
1894, Laws of Florida
1t appears from the foregoing votes
that some pretty good men in Florida
did not consider that the state was
dishonored in voting for an appropria-
ton of $4,000 in satisfaction of the
Wales claim. 1t will also appear
that some pretty good men differed
with the majority
Former defendants of the Wales
claim stated that S, I. Wales had
spent a certain portion of his life in
the collection of this claim The mi
nority report of the senate of 1903
stated that while the said Wales was
engaged with this claim before the de-
partment at Washington re received
from the proceeds OF the internal i'm
provement fund of Florida from 1878
to 1886, deeds for 243,221 acres OF
land.