The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1913-05-17
BY FRANK /. HuFFAkER.

Tallahassee, May 16-Basing their
act on certain rumors and insinuations
that have been drifting around the
capitol this week. Senators Stokes of
Escambia, and Cone Of Columbia, and
Speaker Ion L. Farris today today took
Morton Riddle, superintendent of the
Atlantic Coast Line railway, who is
lobbying on certain measures, to task
for statements he was reported to have
particularly vigorous in his statements.
and Riddle denied that he had in any
way reflected upon any one of the
gentlemen.
The methods adopted by some COR
rorat1on lobbyists on certain measures
ere being roundly criticised, and the
legislators above referred to were in
fighting mood this morning.
CALL FOR INFORMATION.
The house unanimously adopted
Kites resolution which calls en- the
board of state institutions for informa-
ton relative to Senate President Her.
bert j. Drane's monopoly of the states
tire insurance business. Drane has had
complete charge of this business since
he was in the legislature during the
Jennings administration in 1908, and
has received large commissions on
premiums and also had the privilege
of distributing portion of the insur-
ence among political and other friends.
The senate indefinitely postponed the
bill creating the bureau Of labor sta
1istics. The bill will. be reconsideredl
tomorrow. The house killed the bill
pfoviding for warfare on crop pests
and passed bill making compulsory
education optional in school districts.
The house. killed the bill prescribing
educational qualifications for county
school superintendent.
The senate spent the afternoon on
Bryan's primary bill and every amend
ment offered was killed. 1t probably
will pass the bill tomorrow.
The governor approved Johnson's bill
redistricting the state and also the bill
allowing special school tax districts to
bond.
Senator Fletcher tonight addressed
the legislature on rural credit and
other matters.
MAKING FARRIs A TARGET.
The principal target for corporation
newspapers during the present legisla-
tive session has been Speaker Ion l..
Farris of Jacksonville. who has gone
ahead and fought for real progressive
measures. never swerving once, N spite
of the bombardment. which has served
to make him stronger with thinking. |
untrammelled people.
Corporate hostility is nothing new to |
Farris. however, as Jacksonville has
aiways been a hotbed of "plutedom." |
and naturally the two most servile |
daily newspapers in the United States |
have never missed an opportunity to |
viliify him. This viiliffcation, however, |
has been one of F'arris's chief political |
assets. and this Is his second expe- |
rience as speaker of the house. Fur |
thermore, indica tions are that he is |
coming to the senate next time and |
four years hence will be in the race
for governor-that is, If he does not /
try for a congressional place. In either
race he would have and deserve the /
hearty support of friends throughout
Florida.
Speaker Farrts has prohted by ex-
rerience and made az even better pre-
siding officer than before. and his in
f1uence for good has increased corre-
spondingly. He has been responsible
for the passage of number of good
m ca sures in behalf of the people, but
what the august senate will do with
them the prophets alone can tell
Ion Farris though. Is one of the big
gest and best men in politics in Flor
Ida. and he will vet have the highest
D.