The Punta Gorda herald., 1920-05-06
HARDEE VIRTUALLY SAYS
HE WILL APPROVE BILL
VIII Certainly Not Veto Amy Reas-
enable Measure, He Says

Last week, having neard the stor,
that Cary Hardee, candidate for gov
ernor lad promised a cotecie of Ar
politicians that If he is elected gov
ernor he will veto any bill that may
be passed by the next Legislature di
viding DeSoto county, the Herald
wrote Mr.. Hardee ard asked him tc
deny Or confirm tie story. He de,
MED ft. The odito. of the Moors
Haven Times ont even further, il
seems, and asked Mr.. Eartee if he
would approve the bill. In his reply
to Mr.. Stevens, Mr. Hardee virtually
promised that he would approve the
division bill if passed, saying that
the matter is one for the people them
selves to decide.
Here is the letter from MI Hardee
to Mr.. Stevens, as it appeared in the
last Issue of the Moore Haven Times
Il am just in receipt of your favor
Of the 10th inst. advising me of 4
current report to the effect that if
elected governor l have promised GER
tain Arcadia people to veto county
division bills effecting DeSoto county
Of course l am glad that you have
done me the kindness CT asking as to
the truth or falsity of this report
However it does occur to me that the
people of DeSoto county generally
would not believe such a report. /
did not discuss county division while
in Arcadia with anybody and | have
made no statement to anyone with
body whether at Arcadia or else
where has undertaken to say what
my attitude would be they nave done
so on their ow1 initiative, and with
out authority from me. 1t is a ques-
tion with which have nothing to do.
1t is certainly not an issue in my
for the governorship, and
| do not want to be in the attitude of
either saying in private or public |
which could be used to eff
feet those local questions. | am
neither opposing or supporting coun-
ty division in DeSoto county. 1t is
peculiarly a question to be decided |
by yourselves. First in the select
ion of your representatives, and later
by the legislature of the state when
and let me be perfectly
frank in saying that / will approve
any reasonable bill, which the legis
Iature may pass.
My conception of the veto power,
placed by the Constitution in the
hands OF the governor, is one to be
used only in special cases. Certainly
he governor is not given the veto
power to use for the purpose of
hwarting the legislative will. If
I'm governor there will be no pros
tuition of executive power to serve
private ends. Every question that
zones before me will be decided on
is merits irrespective of who may
avor or oppose it. No man or set OF !
men will have pull" with me in
IS sinister sense, but every man or
ct Of men will have a pull with
ne when there is merit back of their
laims.
The report above referred to, J
alse and unjust as it il, was no
Oubt started by some political en- :
my of mine with a view of injuring :
ly candidacy. In these tie closing
ays of this campaign l want to eau I
on the men who are standing with }
le for better government in Florida, ,
OF be led astray by the false accu- A
atoms of demagogues aid cheap y
oliticians.
"Tn as much as you nave written
e very pointedly asking for defin
e expression, do you not think it
lir to me to also write my opponents h
skiing them for an expression along W
le same line. l am having to meet tt
tits campaign all sorts of false n
this one fact, however, fl
dictates that l am far in teh lead, H
Sc l would not be the subject of the il
,mbiled attacks Of my opponents" ." H