The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1913-01-10
Election Laws and Campaign Ex-
nenSeS.

Election Laws and Campaign Ex-
penses.
AS some of the essential parts of
the program which l have in mind,
may be mentioned the perfecting of
the primary and general election
laws, so that all opportunity for
fraud and trickery in elections shall
be removed and campaign expenses
reduced to the minimum. | believe
ninety-nine per cent. of the people
of this state are heartily in accord
with the idea that the man and not
the dollar should triumph, and will
welcome for all time to come a law
that will stamp out the idea, enter
tanned by few, that public office is
a chattel to be sold at public cutlery to
the highest bidder.
Public School Advancement.
Florida is well advanced in its
public school system, yet our pres
ent day progress calls for its further
improvement, and l shall advocate
the raising of the standard of our
common schools. In these practical
times, | believe we should give great
Importance to the agricultural, the
mechanical and domestic science fea-
lures of school work.
Agricultural and Farm Development.
1t is my purpose to labor for a
greater agricultural and farm activ-
ity. / consider it wise that we en-
large the work of the agricultural
experiment station at the university,
in disseminating information to the
farmers, the truckers and the fruit
growers, in conducting farmers in
sts;utes, organizing corn clubs, to-
mato clubs and otherwise stimulat-
ing farm, grove and rural develop
ment. Public aid should be given to
stamp out pests that may become a
public menace by injuring our farm
or grove products.
Protection of Cattle Industry.
The 1910 census credits Florida
with about 100000 head of cattle
valued at about eight million dollars
1t is estimated that about three pei
cent. of these die annually from COW
ticks, causing loss in deaths from
this source alone of about $25,000.0(
year. The Federal govern
ment has in cooperation with
certain of the state govern
ments, accomplished splendid results
in the eradication of this pest; and
| believe our state, with the aid of thu
Federal government, should inaugu
> rate, under the direction of the stat
S board of health, a movement in thi
5 behalf.
Reform of Court Procedure.
Court procedure should be simpli
S fed and provision made for NOR
| speedy trial in both civil and crimi
y nal cases. The time allowed for per
: fecting appeals should be shortene'
d and other measures enacted to pro
f tect the citizen in his rights and Sc
Y cure justice without unreasonable de
e lay or excessive cost.
a Reclamation of Everglades.
= Practically every citizen of GU
= state who is familiar with the Flor
S ida Everglades realizes that it is on
h of the states most valuable assets
f Under more or less financial embar
l rassment, very marked progress
f has been made towards the reclama
e ton of this territory within the pas
u six years, and your officials are noN
pushing that undertaking as rapid
l. as the finances available will permi
# | have great faith in this enormou
1t enterprise and will with my cola
n borers do everything possible to az
sc complish the drainage and reclama
lie ton of this vast area of rich and fel
in tile land.
Ii believe one of the needs in cor
nection with the project is the estat
g lishment of one or two experiments
r farms.
4 Within a short time we should Ell
" deavor to have the Federal govern
e, ment assume the maintenance an
ID care of certain of the drainage CO
is nails for water transportation acros
re the state.
10 State Convict System.
The time is in my opinion rip
It for a change in our plan of handlin
,s the state convicts. With the gres
" demand for labor upon our roads ar
n in road building, we can utilize I'll
o convict labor to an advantage upo
:. the roads, and l think that the ne
" essary steps should be taken pr
70 viding the expiration of the presel
convict lease, on January l, 1914, fl
i the withdrawal of the prisoners fro
h the lease system in such reasonab
installments as may be advisable
" safeguard the states finances
70 making the change from the presel
10 plan of hiring them out to placir
them on the roads.
MI Good Roads.
II In my study of public problem
in fer the past ten years l have give
er more or less thought to the subje
1t Of good roads and the ACCESSIBILITY
- governmental activity along Ii
IL line. From my interest in this m
Ieet and its study, l am firmly CO.