The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1918-12-14
WHAT THE LEGISLATURE DID

WHAT THE LEGISLATURE DID
H. A. Felkel in st. Augustine Record
More was accomplished in the thir-
teen days of the late extraordinary
session of the legislature than ever
has been during the first thirty days
of regular session. This was large
| ly due to the joint committee idea
that originated with Senator Mac
Williams of this district and was
| used to advantage throughout the
session.
Cutting off debate by moving the
previous question, Representatives
Corbett and DeGrove unquestionably
saved the state hundreds of dollars in
this special session.
The passage of the general auto
mobile tax law to become effective
January first will save for the high
what the session cost. The defects in
the old law had to be cured before the
commencing of 1919 in order for the
tax to be collected in that year. So
it is evident that that act alone JUS
titles the calling of the extra session,
which cost about $500 day.
The abolition of the tax commits
sion, too, will result is great saving.
Both houses firmly and promptly
sat upon the governors suggestion
that the railroad commission be done
away with, and no bill to that effect
was introduced.
The measures to abolish the hotel
commission and to cut the salary of
the adjutant general to a dollar
year passed the house, but died on
the salendar of the senate.
The relief bills passed to pay the
salaries of officials who had been sus-
pended, but who were reinstated by
the senate carried an aggregate ap-
preparation that will approximate
$4,000, the back salary of Hotel
Commission A. L. Messer for the time
he was out of Office being over $4,000.
The act commonly called the SOL
diers' and sailors bill, authorizing the
trustees of the internal improvement
fund to cooperate with the United
States government in securing farms
in Florida for returning veterans of
the European war, which is expected
to mean a great immigration and de-
velopment in this state, became law.
Prohibition statutes for the enforce
ment of the constitutional amendment
after January first were enacted. The
senate amendment to permit regis
tered pharmacist to sell for medical
purposes eight ounces of whisky or
brandy in a day on the prescription
of practicing and licensed physic-
ian was adopted by the house and is
part of the law; but the attempt of
the senate to permit the storage in
home of unlimited quantities of intox-
icants that may be on hand on the
first of the year was stricken from
the bill in the house. The maximum
amount one may have in his posses
sion after this month is four quarts.
A law to limit shipments from now
till January first to a quar- a month
was re-enacted.
All labor legislation was sidestep-
ped by the recent session of the leg
islature, although something of the
kind had been mentioned in the call of
the governor. Not bill was propos-
ed nor was a word uttered on this
subject.
The suspension case of ]. w. Rast,
| former tax collector of Duval county,
was continued till the regular session
of April and May next. Whether or
not as result of this failure to take
final action Mr.. Rast will be able to
claim his Office is a question upon
which lawyers throughout the state
and senate members themselves diff
| fer.
The appointment of Jerry w. Can,
ter as hotel inspector was not con-
firmed, and A. L. Messer was restored
to office by the senate in executive
session.
A scathing report on the Industrial
School for Boys at Mariana, COM
monty known as the reform school,
was made by special committee
sent to inspect this state institution.
This investigating committee recon-
mended that the conduct of the school
be taken out of the hands of the
governor and his cabinet; S25, 200 was
appropriated for the immediate relief
OF the Mariana institution.
1t was busy legislature and the
record made for business transacted
in given length of time will probab-
ly stand unbroken for a long period
1