The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1917-01-03
Gov. Trammell
Reviews
His Work
Continued from page ~


a portion Of them on the public roads.
With the advanced steps that have al
ready been made, | trust that, as rap
idly as conditions will permit, our
State will take the necessary steps
for the total abolition of the lease sys-
tenn.
Abolshing County Treasurer.
''In my message to the Legislature
of 1913, and following up policy
which had avocated for number OF
years, recommended and urged that
a constitutional amendment be sub
mitted providing for the abolishing of
the office of county treasurer, it be-
ing my opinion that this Office was
not necessary. and entailed useless
burden on the taxpayers of the State.
The Legislature submitted such
amendment to the constitution to the
electors for ratification or rejection.
The amendment was adopted at the
polls, and as a result, hereafter the
taxpayers of the State will be relieved
of this burden of approximately $780,
900 per annum.
For the first time in the history
of the State we now have a law re-
quiring that interest shall be paid up
on the public funds of the counties,
respectively, of the State. urged the
adoption of this policy by the Legisla-
ture. and feel hopeful that it will be
source of considerable revenue to
the several counties of the State
"iy desire being to make the tax
burden as light as possible upon the
people of Florida, under the author.
ity vested in me, reduced the State
tax millage in 1914 and also in 1915
BY virtue of this action, appproxi
mately s1S5, 100000 less taxes were
paid in 1914 than in 1913. and the bur
den was very materially reduced in
1915 from what it would have beer
had not ordered the reduction in the
millage
Investment Of School Fund
up to recent years it had been thu
policy of the State to invest the Stat,
school funds in bonds of other States
exclusively. During the administra
ton of my predecessor. the policy o
investing in Florida securieties wa
inauguraated to an extent, and durinl
the present administration we hav,
. followed a policy of investing thi
fund exclusively in county, municipal
and district bonds, issued in Florida
As result. much higher rate of in
terest is being obtained for the schoo
fund, and hundreds of thousands o
dollars formerly sent to other States
are being retained among our hom
people.
Upon my recommendation the Leg
: islature of 1913 enacted measure pre-
pared by me, repeating the old la,
| giving to new railroads alternate SEE
tons of State land within six mile
on either side of the railroad. Thi
action saved for the State millions O
dollars worth of lands in the Evel
elades, which would, no doubt, hav
beer acquired by the railroads in
, course of time, had this measure no
: be en- enacted.
Child Labor Law
Laws regulating and preventing
the employment of children of tende
years in factories and sweat shops
have been materially strengthened
and State labor inspector has bee
provided to look after the enforcement
of the law, and to give greater pre-
lection to the children against TIL
evils and abuses heretofore prevailing
in connection with child labor.
"As is true with all Governors.
have not succeeded in having severa
policies advocated by me written in
to statutes. Among some recommend
ed, but not written into law, may b
mentioned measures providing for tn
; support of the State government b
: license tax and abolishing State mil
age. which would made tax uniform
ty necessary only in the county; re
quiring railroads. by a franchise tay
TO pay their share of taxes; invest
ment by insurance companies of par
of reserve fund in Florida: prohibit
ing insurance combines; fund to guar
antee bank deposits; establishment O
an experimental farm in the Eve,
glades; a law for the punishment O
land frauds; the prohibiting of owe,
capitalization of public service col
porations: the prompt remittance o
public funds by county officials:
graduated corporation tax; emplo,
ers' liability act; fire escape for tails