The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1920-01-28
GARY A. .HARDEE, LEADING
CANDIDATE FOR GOVERNOR
And the openly avowed champion Of better Government in Florida
takes the people into his full condenceand canddy and fear
essy states exactly where he stands the leading issues in
the (iubernatOrial Campaign.

fear or favor. shall also stand for
more specific things as follows:
Education
The education of our children is Of
primary Importance because our
teachers mould FROM the plastic mind
of childhood the characters which
must ultimately control the destinies
of the nation. In youth is the time
to instill love of country. Every boy
and girl should be taught the prin-
ciples of civil government and the
sacred obligation of constituted au
thority. An education in its broad
est sense to be useful and practical,
must also be comprehensive, develop
ing the physical along with the men
powers of the child. We should teach
the elementary principles of agricuI-
ture and ,horticultuTe, as we'll as the
domestic arts and science and manual
training. 1t must be universal Civ
ing equal opportunity to the rich ami
poor alike. The school term in most
of our rural districts is too short and
our teachers are too often inadequate
ly paid.
Taxation
There should be just equalization
Of taxes as between the counties and
as between the individuals and corr
porations Of each county. There
should be more effective system for
the assessment and collection Of rev.
enue. There should be the strictest
economy in the expenditure Of the
states revenues consistent with the
proper administration of the laws. As
a prudent and careful business man
would handle his own business, even
so should the business of the state
be conducted. | am opposed to the
unnecessary creation of offices and
commissions, and am in favor with
such coordination OF the different
departments of the state government
as will eliminate the necessity for
them. The people of Florida are not
opposed to paying reasonable taxes.
but they justly want to see every dol
lar so paid do one dollars worth Of
service. We can readily see the me-
cessity for careful and business
like administration, when we consifl
er that taxes are mounting all thu
while. Considering the rapidly in
creasing wealth Of the state. which
goes to make up our aggregate as
sessment taxes should be reduced
rather than increased.
Our state institutions must be judi
ciously and carefully managed and
supervised If l am elected governor
every official or employee connected
Herewith must be an efficient serv-
ant Of the state, and must ably and
conscientiously perform his duties as
such and the value of his or her SER
vice will not be determined by sup
posed political or partisan worth.
Internal Improvement
I believe that the final reclamation
of the Everglades district should be
consumated as rapidly as practicable
and that the state lands, so far as
possible should be sold to those who
expect to cultivate the soil as dis
tinguished from spectators. To in
sure this result liberal terms for pay
ment should be accepted.
l favor a just and equitable re-
apportionment of the representatives
in the state legislature as required by
the constitution.
The development and construction
of inland water ways is one of the
/, great needs of our state. We should
cooperate, with the national govern
ment in every feasible enterprise
having this end in view. othing so
rapidly develops country as ade-
quate and economical transportation
nd if elected l pledge myself towards
its consumation in every possible
manner. Our people are now wisely
unanimous in demanding. better roads
and highways, because they realize
tt 1T
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