The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1917-04-06
GOVERNOR CATS FIRST AN
NUAL MESSAGE

! Governor Sidney j. Cats delivered
his first annual message to the legi:
lature OF Florida at noon Tuesday.
We are pleased to note that unlike
| his Speeches it deals in no flambuoy
ant, bombastic or unseemly utt aranc-
es, but is a plain, STRAIGHTFORWARD
document. couched in simple phra ,es.
It is issued in pamphlet form and
covers twenty-four pages.
Besides giving an epitome of the
several departments of the state gov
eminent it makes a number of recon-
mendations.
He begins by saying that many Of
our laws are antiquated, technical
and hard to understand and recon-
mends that they be annulled, and the
laws be made palmer and recodified.
He recommends submitting 20 NJ
people for adoption a prohib ion con
stitutional amendment. In order to
obtain the benefit of the COMPRESSION
al good roads fund he recommends
that suitable legislation be enacted
He urges that great caution be made
in the matter of appropriations in
order not to make the taxes too ID;
! densome.
/ He recommends an Inheritance tax.
He says such a law is now in force in
forty-eight states. He says that the
/ legislature should clothe the tax
commission with greater powers. That
board consisting of the comptr,.!er,
state treasurer and member o. the
railroad commission should be author
l. Cd to assess railroad pro critics.
He recommends an additional state
auditOr, extra help for the governors
office of two additional clerks, anOth-
er member for the supreme court. an
insurance commissioner, and ap-
pointee to be known as the friend
of the convict" This Official IS to
stay among the convicts sharing
| their privations, so as to be in SYM
pathy with them, so that he will be
in a position to take their part. as the
"Son of Man came to the earth and
took the part of lost and ruined
world whit our Heavenly Father
pleading at the mercy seat" This
proposition he realizes may be ridi-
culed, but the time will come, he
-says, when the world will see that
he is right.
He favOrs a state printery, and an
appropriation of one hundred and IF
| ty thousand dollars for the creation
of another state building at Tallahas-
see
The governor favors the rep lal Of
the Bryan election law and a ,n;urn
to two primaries, one following
quickly upon the heels of the other.
He favOrs a law that would recall
every officer from a justice Nt TIE
peace to a member of the supreme
court
He favors industrial training in the
schools The taxation of church prop
erty other than church edifices and
parsonages He favOrs a more lib
eral libel law for the newspapers;
would have all teachers licensed
whether teaching private of public
schools, all undergoing the same char
acter of examinations. He favors no
closed Institutions Favors the drain
ing of the Everglades. FavOrs a law
whereby processes, can be served on
foreign corporations and would place
privilege tat on the owners of large
land-holdings
He fayors a bank guarantee depos
it law. and would give federated Ia
Dor organizations prpoer and needful
recognition.
He favors larger pensions for old
soldiers, and monthly payments.
He would make the legal rate of in
terest per cent. He would impose
a privilege. tax on telegraph tele-
phone and railroad companies He
would have the legislature provide
better shipping facilities for the pro-
Queer He would have the flag float
from every public school building i'll
the state
He admits having made many mis-
takes and is liable to make many
more. but promises to do the best h
knows how in making Florida one Of
the greatest states in the union
MARION CAMP u. c. V. STANDS