The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1921-05-14
PRESS COMMENT
Infamous eili Should Be Killed.

Infamous Bill should Be Killed.
Sponsored by the automobile assoc
citation Of this state there is bill be-
fore the legislature which will result
in making Florida the most abhorred
state in the union by all drivers OF au-
tomobiles should It become law. The
measure Is what might be termed
"retaliatory bill" because the people
refused to authorize the bonding of the
state for twenty million dollars-as
suggested and urged by the associa-
tion--for the construction OF roads.
When that mea sure was showed under
at the last election the state auto
mobile association declared it had a
measure that would make tho people
wish they had voted for the bonds.
The measure introduced hereby al
luded to provides that an annual Ii
cense fee shall be paid on all automo-
biles at the rate Of one dollar per
hundred pounds-which would be an
increase over the present rate by fully
three hundred per cent in many in
stances. Such thing is most I'M
heard of in the history of the gaso-
line car-and would lessen the num-
Der OF cars bought drought the deal
ers of the state, greatly to the loss of
ness. It would also affect large num-
bers Of men who have their money
tied up in garages and repair shops
many of whom would be forced out Of
business. Farther than that it would
work hardship upon the owners of
large cars because the license fees
would reach sum almost confisca-
tory. 1t would be unjust, II 1t be the
he mr. i1p hot To-,
er havoc than the smaller car-for it is
well-known fact that the larger cars
driven with sense do not bring about
the wear and tear that some of the
smaller cars produce: consequently the
grounds are lily -advised.
BY no means should the legislature
enact so crushing a bill as that pro-
posed by the automobile association
which bears every figuremark OF re-
taliation for supposed past grievances.
Should such a measure become a law
Florida would be the laughing-s stock Of
the entire country-even more than It
has been because Of fool actions of a
previous head of the state government.
-Kissimmee Valley Gazette.
The Press Publicity Bill.
~ DAh udS Uceil introduced III the
house by Representatives Scales OF
Perry and in the senate by Senator
Igou, of Eustis, requiring tax expend-
ing bodies, councils. commissioners,
school boards, etc., to publish a syn
opsis of their minutes at legal rates
in one newspaper in each county. This
bill has brought out the accusation in
some quarters that the newspapers of
Florida are working in their own in
terests in urging the passage of the
measure. Accepting this argument as
a fact, why not the newspapermen,
since the state bankers, the range cat
| tlemen, the sawnill men, the school
teachers, the retailers, the lawyers, the
doctors and almost every known in
terest are doing the same thing with
| out reproach. None Of them urge that
their bills are in the interest OF the
! general public. The newspaper men
do. This publicity bill, if it heads off
one CRATER in each county, will save
more in one year than it will ever cost
| the taxpayers. 1t is along this line
that the newspaper men Of Florida
| advocate the passage of the BILL
Eustis Lake Region.