The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1920-10-29


they may raise their voice in an issue
that transcends all ordinary standards
of measurement.
The world admires such men and
women. They have their reward
Tampa Tribune.
One Way to Secure Reapportionment.
The next session of the Florida leg
islature will probably be confronted
with the SINE old problem of reappor-
uonment which has plagued it for 80
years. and in all probability there will
be the same contemptuous ignoring of
the plain mandates of the constitu
ton by those who hold the whip hand
over the more progressive and adj
vancing parts of the state. At the time
or the adoption of the present consti'
tuion in 1885, North Florida could par
aphrase the words of Louis XIV. of
france and say with pride: I'VE are
the state" And there was truth in the
boast. South Florida was a term in
cognita, believed to be a region of i'm
penetrable swamp and jungle, inacces-
slble and incapable of Improvement
by man, There was no fault to be
found with the apportionment in 1885.
1t conformed to the conditions that
then existed. But even then in it's
wisdom the convention that framed the
constitution foresaw that conditions
might change in the future, and that
an apportionment that was fair and
just at that time might become I'M
falr and unjust in time, and to pro-
vide against any such contingency, in
serted a clause in the constitution re-
curing a reapportionment every ten
years.
How has that worked? Conditions
nave changed materially since the con-
stitution was formed. South Florida
has made wonderful growth and pro-
gress, while North Flori<a has re-
manned stationary or refrigerated.
South Florida has built roads, drained
its swamps, reclaimed its lands, estab-
lshed many Furnishing industries
which bring money to the state, and in
a multitude of ways established it's
claim to be the weatlhiest and most
progressive section of the state Mean
while the ensuing legislatures, dom
mated by North Florida sentiment
which held the power under the old
apportionment, have persistently ig-
nored the plain mandate of the consti-
tuition and refused to make any re-
apportionment. How long shall this
manifest injustice be allowed to con-
unue North Florida is backward. re-
actionary, non progressive. South Flor
loa Is the opposite of this in every
respect, but we are tied to them and
subject to their dictation in every
project OF statewide importance.
CONSIDER these figures: The north
ern counties having two representa-
yves are Alachua, Bradford. Columbia.
Duval, Escambia, Gadsden, Hamilton.
jackson, Jefferson, Leon, Madison.
Nassau, Putnam, Santa Rosa, SUI
vance, st. Johns and Marion. The
southern counties having two repre-
sentat1ves are Hillsborough, Monroe
orange, Polk and Volusia. In addi-
ton to these II counties with 81 rem
resentatives, there are 10 other
northern counties with one repre
sentatives each, who r~ay be relied
on vote with them on any state issue.
Ihe northern counties have a ma iority
IN the legislature and can defeat reap-
portlonment to the end of time if they
stick together. They each have a SEN
ator, which gives them a majority in
the senate. Make a few comparisons
to show the inequity and injustice of
the present apportionment. Nassau
county, much smaller than Dade, with
diminishing population of 10000 |
census 1879 has one senator and two
Dade county, large. |
populous and wealthy, has one repre- |
sentative and fifth of q senator. !
Other instances might be cited, for
they are numerous and convincing, but |
this is enough to show why reappor- |
uonment has been so long DELAYED. |
The northern counties having the I
power are reluctant to give it M
The st. Augustine Record preached
plan some time ago, whIcn may /
seem drastic and severe, but is at least I
worthy of consideration. 1t is that
as many of the legislators as possible
be pledged to take no part in legis- t
lation until at least a promise of re-
apportionment has been secured from
the majority. In short, a filibuster is
We are not generally in
favor of this method of securing de-
sirable legislation, and it may be pos
sRle that enough pledges cannot be
secured to make it effective but it
may eventually be ecessary-Tan4ra
Times.