The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1919-08-17

Note: okeechobee county created out of Pain
Beach. st. Lucie and osceola counties in 1917.
Article seven, section three of the constitution
of Florida provides, in effect, that ten
beginning with the 1887, the legislature shall
apportion the representation in the house and
ate in order that each section of the state be
fairly represented according to its population but
this has been The result is that the
called new section of the state is carrying very
heavy tax burdens and yet has little voice at Tall
lahassee in making the laws.
These tables show that according to the 1915
census the twelve contiguous southern counties had
1os76s greater population than the twelve contgu-
Gus northern counties. and in 1918 the south
counties had real estate valuation of $751;
S25.o55 more than the same northern counties, yet
the latter have nineteen representatives and nine
and "one-sixth" senators, while the southern coun-
ties have only fifteen and four and
'one-half" senator's
Between the federal census taken In 1910 and
the state in 1915 the northern group OF
counties had population increase of 1920. while
the southern counties during the same period had
population increase Of 64,35s. According to the
1915 state census the the eleventh dis
trict (Tampa) represents population of 102.49e
which the senator from the sixteenth district Ger
nandina) represents population of 10oO5. Nassau
county has two representatives and senator
while Dade county has representative and zone
sixth of a senator The senator from the Miami
district represents six which, from 1910 to
1915, had population increase of $3.50; the Tampa
district had increase of 24.102. while the Fer
nandina district hah decrease of $50.
The assessed value of all the real estate in the
two largest northern senatorial districts named is
little five million dollars, while the assessed
value of all the real in the two largest south
senatorial districts named is little over sixty
million dollars, yet they have the same voice In
making tax laws
Common honesty and square deal demands
Of hat f11
Florida may be fairly represented at Tallahassee.
and the foregoing facts taken from the public rec
ords enough shock the of justice of any
fair minded regardless of what portion of the
state he happens to live in
Don't the old line politicians know that the red
blooded people OF Florida getting tired of this
foolishness? Such gross inequalities certainly
calculated quiet the present rather alarming
conditions of social and Industrial unrest
The politicians needn't try to dodge this ques
ton any longer because going to smoke them
apportionment without doing anything to bring 1t
about doesn't suit the tax payers any longer. 1t
is hard understand how honest man would be
opposed it. il OF the politicians had not
been opposing it would have had re -apportion-
ment long ago.
Note-The total assessed valuation of all the
real estate in Nassau county f$l.521575)~ is ex-
ceeded by the building permits issued in the city
OF Miami during the last six months ($1ss .eooo
and the valuation OF real estate in the city
of Miami for this year is s4s.sss.149.-Aiami Me-
tropolis.