The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1914-09-12
GilChriSt
Gives Views On
Important Matters

at heart should give this careful at
tention:
Punta Gorda, Sept. 10, 1914.
To the Editor of the Telegram:
While governor | recommended that
the Legislature pass an act direct
ing the governor, attorney general
and secretary of state to publish
with the proposed constitutional
amendments the manner in which
such amendments would affect the
present constitution, so that the
voters could decide which was the
better. the present constitution or
the proposed amendments. The
LEGISLATURE did not see the necessity
for such an act. So far as l know
no one has shown it. l now propose
to show it.
In the proposed amendment re-
latino to section 16 of article 4, the
rank of adjutant general is changed
from major general to that OF briga-
der general. This is highly proper
as Florida has but one brigade. The
rank of major general is too high
for such command. The term OF Of
flee of all commissioned officers OF
the organized militia is made con-
tinuous during the pleasure OF the
governor, subject to such laws as
Imay he enacted by the Legislature
providing for their retirement on
account of age or other causes. I'm
der section Z of article 16 OF the
constitution no one is commissioned
to any office longer than four years.
, This practically makes the term OF
office of the commissioned officers
l. for life, as in the regular U. S.
, army. This will cut out from the
hope of promotion worthy enlisted
5 men. 1t may probably seriously af'
: feet the future enlistment in the or
: ganized militia. All of our big wars
have been fought by the volunteers
the regulars being negligible
e quantity.
Proposed amendment to section
q of article s.: "Under the present con
I stitution tax collectors, assessor
r and county treasurers are electe'
e for two years, all other county of
y ficers being elected for four years
e The proposed amendment will caus
II tax collectors and assessors to
I" elected for four years, they bein
" elected on off years as they shout
be. The county treasurer electe
= during this year will serve out hi
term. hereafter there will be n
county treasurer. The Legislator
: shall provide by law 70 the care an
u custody of all county funds, an
shall provide the method of report
% ing and paying out all such funds.
:. Proposed amendment to section
;. of article 5. Tn addition to tn
present constitution this provide
for court of record for Escambi
"a county and "suclA other courts c
>, commissions as the Legislature ma
:. from time to time ordain and e.
i tablish. " "The Legislature may pr,
q scribe the compensation of the jus
v tices and judges of the sever;
e courts. but no court heretofore G.
v tablished under the constitutio
it and laws of Florida shall be hereb
abolished. Under the present cor
stitution the salaries of the Justice
of the supreme court and of the Gil
cult court judges are fixed by tn
. constitution. Under section ., al
;. ticle 5 of the constitution the sa
: airy of the justices of the suprem
J. court and of the circuit court judge
= are fixed by the constitution. Unde
h section 8, article ) of the constitu
l. tion the salary of the justices of tn
l. supreme court is fixed at $4,000
q year. The salary of the circui
+ judges is fixed at $4,000 year
n This is entirely too small. Sectio
= 20 OF article 4 of the constitutio
y fixed the salary of the governor a
h $4,000 and the various cabinet OF
$ ficers from $500 to $4,000, Pre-
r viding, however, that eight year
q from the adoption of the constitu
u tion the Legislature might increas
o or decrease any or all of these sal
or decrease any or all G
these salaries. There was no sue
proviso, however, attached to tn
e salaries of the justices of the su
i preme court and judges of the cir
e cult court. During 1907 the salar
5 of the governor was increased t
$4,000 q year. and in addition tn
executive mansion was built, savin
to the governor rent of several hun
dred dollars year. In 1908 tn
salaries of all the cabinet officer
| was fixed aft So 50O n yaor In 1a1