The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1913-04-18
TALLAHASSEE
'"-- "''"''-I LETTER.

1t has been my fixed purpose on
leaving home to write a weekly let
ter to the readers of The News, but
the resolution to do, and the doing
find are somewhat separated by
that "tired feeling" which comes over
man when he abandons even tenn
porarily the hard, matter of fact oc-
cupation of work, for the temporary
job of statecraft. An entirely differ
ent atmosphere surrounds one here
in Tallahassee. Seventy-one different
members of the House of Represen-
tatives have at least as many differ
ent measures in which they are inter
ested and all of which they desire to
talk over with you. Then there are
the candidates for the petty offices
in the gift of the House, the clerk
ships, ETC., all of which you must
give up some time to. There is
plenty here to occupy ones time, and
when one does get minute to him
self, he is naturally slow to think
about what he can do to help along
the work at home.
The Florida legislature is now well
organized and under way, and so fan
as | am able to judge the session
gives every evidence of being one of
the most harmonious in the history
of the State. Fifty-nine bills had
been introduced in the Senate up tc
last Saturday, and in the House a
total of 107. Many of these are i'm
portant. Today l asked Speaker Far
ris what he considered the most i'm
portant measure before the Legis-
lature, and he told me by all means
The Initiative and Referendum
But as this letter is written on Mon
day morning and as much can hap
pen before it is laid before the read
ers of The News, will not go into
the making Of predictions. Rather
will tell them in this letter what is
happening to the Putnam county del
egates in the legislature.
know it will interest the readers
and the people at home generally to
learn that Hon. Henry S.McKenzie is
here and that he has been appointed
as assistant clerk of the Senate.
Senator Wall has a most appro-
pirate committee appointment-that
of chairman of the committee or
Agriculture. He is also an associate
member of the committees on Bank
ing, Enrolled Bills, Prisons and Con-
victs, and Privileges and Elections.
Mr.. Middleton is a member of the
committees on County Officials, En-
crossed Bills, Lumber and Naval
Stores, and Unfinished Business.
Mr.. Russell is Chairman of the
Committee on State Institutions ant
an associate member of the commit
tees on Canals and Drainage, Claims,
Corporations, Privileges and Elec-
tons and Public Printing.
On Saturday afternoon under I;
waiver of the rules the House passed
one bill that will probably have easy
sailing through the Senate. 1t is
bill to prevent corrupt lobbyists from
getting to be "too brash" in the cor.
rldors of the Capitol. Men who de-
sire to lobby can still do So but the,
Will have to be registered and tell fol-
whom they are working.
Mr.. Middleton told me he had .
bill which he intended to introduce
and which aimed at repeal of the
present Green Fruit Law, but he has
not yet introduced it. | would be
glad to hear from our fruit growers
on the subject of this law. If | mis- |
take not the majority of the growers
are in favor of some law that will, |
prohibit the indiscriminate shipments
or unripe oranges: The Supreme
Court of Florida has sustained the
constitutionality of the present law
and do not want to consent to it.
repeal unless it be the general wish
of our Putnam county growers.
had letter last week from
Col" McMurtry of McMeekin in
which he told me that | must come
out squarely in the legislature for
the new county of Santa Fe or else
resign and come home" 1t occurred
to me that the Colonel" was tridc
0rash for one who had so recently
come into the county. Of course i
remember that it was his "vote that
elected me-" but | must in3iy. that
he other gentlemen who voted for
me should also have a voice IN the
'ecall before it is acted on. am
lot for Santa Fe county, not lust VET
awhile. | am for old Putnar
Senate Bill No. 8, introduced by
senator Wall, provides Coz the re-
zeal of the Florahomc Drainage act
II 1911. As the Palatka board of
rade and 80 per cent ot the owners
# lands in the drainage district have
Urged me to oppose oha attempted
epeal of this law, ! can he counted
N to do as | have been asked. The
ffcial name of my job is "Repre.
W A PTTSSETI