The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1919-04-26
PENSION BILL
TAPS FOUNT
OFORATORY
House Gets Amendment
Tackled On Measure-Re-
port of Special Taxation
Committee Received.
EVERGLADES SALE
BILL IS REFERRED
Requests of Governor for
Closed Session of House
Caused FURRY of Excite
rnent During Morning.

Tallahassee, April 25.-The house
this morning received a report from
the special committee on taxation ap-
pointed under authority Of the legis-
lature OF 1917, of which Hon. w. A
Blount is chairman. The report is a
bulky document, and was referred .c
the house committee on finance and
taxation without being read.
Mr.. Green, of Bradford county, in
troduced a short memorial to congress
requesting the return of illegally col
lected cotton tax of the sixties. II
asks that the amounts be returned to
the governors Of the states from which
1t was collected, and by them returned
to claimants. The memorial was
adopted. Later Mr.. Barber, of Baker
introduced a more elaborate measure
referring to the same subject matter.
1t went over under the rules.
A short communication was receiv-
ed from the governor requesting that
he be heard by the house for few
minutes on one of the most important
matters to come before this session.
The request was granted.
House Closed Doors to Hear Cats.
The house was cleared OF all persons
except members and attaches. This in
cident was believed by legal lights to
be unconstitutional together with the
statement that the governors appear
ance had to do with a matter perhaps
involving life and death, creating a
furry OF excitement.
It soon developed after the doors
were opened the incident had to do
with a tarnsfer OF the unspent balance
OF the national guard fund, 20 thAt Il
could be used to defray the expenses
of the home guards. A bill was passed
covering the recommendations OF the
governor, with some notifications.
Mr.. Brooks, OF Monroe, got the
house to recall from the senate a
local fish bill, which he passed
through several days ago. and which
has caused some dissatisfaction in fish
shipping circles. The purpose, as stat
ed by its author, for recall. is to make
some amendments and eliminating OBJ
features.
The Singletary bill, providing for the
sale of the Everglade lands belonging
to the state, reached the house in the
senate messages and was read the
first time. It went to the committee
on public lands.
The pension bill, which has already
taken UP much time of the house, was
up three different times during the
morning session. Every time it bobbed
up a flood OF oratory was threatened
from some quarter, and the bill would
be sidetracked to get to some other
matter. The last time it was
up. Mr.. Scruggs. of Leon, got adopted
a nFOnRrfy dis
in the section allowing
widows pensions.
Mr.. Lewis, OF the committee appoint
ed some time ago to draft suitable
resoltions upon the death Of Hon. l. !.
Moody. member elected to this mousse
who died of flu just after the ad-
journment Of the extra session, mace
his report In doing so he paid
very high tribute to the deceased mem-
Der from Flagler county, who endeareu
himself to all the members or the
house during the short extra session.
On voting on the adoption or resoiu-
tions the house paid the departed
member an unusual mark or respect,
by rising and standing for half
minute with bowed heads. This was
upon the suggestion of Mr.. Harris OF
Pinnellas county.
The time for adjourning the house at
the noon hour was delayed in order
that the senate bill, carrying out the
OF the governor,
could be passed. Some safeguarding
were tackled on.
At the afternoon session of the house
the pension bill was UP again. Special
were offered but the
pnly successful one was by Mr.. Futch
~ lake. making remarriage of widows
of soldiers a permanent bar from the
benefits of the pension act. The bill
was passed "a to none.
The sheriff compensation act was
PASSED informally. and the bill of DIR.
aambIin, providing for the physical
of school children occu-
Died the remainder OF the afternoon
session, without getting by second
-eading.