The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1921-05-21
PRESS COMMENT

H PRESS COMMENT !
Anent Capitol Removal.
The Tampa Times is red hot over
the passage by the. legislature of a
bill providing s250,000 for the making
OF necessary repairs and additions to
the state capitol and suggests that
Governor Hardee should veto the bill.
The basis for the objection found by
the Times is that the capitol should
be moved away from this "unprogres-
sive" section Of the state to a more
central point and to prove that the
great majority OF the people desire
this change the Tampa daily tells us
that fifty-two newspaper editors ia
vor 1t. Why man, that isn't any valid
reason at all for believing that any
considerable number OF voters want to
move the capital. If you will hearken
back to 1916 and refresh your memory
on what happened to Brother Jordan
of Punta Gorda. who had practically
every newspaper in the state for him.
you'll be convinced, as he was after
the election was over, that the people
do just the opposite of what the news
paper editors advise. How many news
papers did Cats have supporting him
In the same year, when the people
elected him governor over one of Flor
ida's best men? We admit that if the
people would follow the lead of the
newspaper editors that they would not
often go wrong, but In case of this
kind, where the editors clamoring for
capitol removal practically live in
the southern part of the state. we are
not convinced that the advice is sound
and it is not probable, if put to vote,
that the taxpayers even in southern
Florida would approve Of such a wan
ton waste of money.-Gadsden County,
Times.
Develop Home Resources.
In every county In Florida, are un-
developed resources that home people
easily could develop and from
which they would reap the benefit.
People of a community as rule do
not appreciate the opportunities that
lie all around them. 1t is not until
some outside men go in. and by spend
ing a little money develop the. latent
resources that the people of COM
munity realize what they have missed.
The best development is that done by
the live, progressive people living in
that community, and when home peo-
pie put their money into development
work the profits realized is kept at
home and helps to make the whole
country more prosperous.-Chiple
Banner.
Fighting the Oil Tax.
The Ocala Star was pleased to criti-
cize rather adversely this paper for the
position it has taken on the bill to tax
oils and gasoline as proposed in some
legislation now before the general as
sembly at Tallahassee. The Tribune
has expressed its belief that the courts
will void the bin if it is passed, on the
grounds of its being hindrance to in
terstate commerce, and perhaps, class
legislation, since it will discriminate
against oil as fuel in favor of coal
and other heating substances. Some
of the attorneys for the state automo-
bile association have taken the same
position as we have in the matter also.
In 1919 the state Of Georgia placed
an inspection fee on all oils and gases
coming into it.. Immediately the Texas
Oil Company filed suit against the
state. The fee sought to be collected
is one-half cent per gallon. This case
is now before the supreme court Of the
United States, for final adjudication
and the hearing is set for October 10.
The suit Of the Texas Oil Company
is considered one of the most serious
filed in a number of years against the
state of Georgia, owing to the fact that
the treasury receives annually a large
sum from the inspection fees, and be-
cause all the states special taxes will
be in danger if the court decides the
act is unconstitutional since they are
operated on practically the same prin-
ciple.
When Governor-elect Thomas Har-
wick announced that he was consider
ing the imposition OF tax on gasoline
Qike Florida is attempting) as a meas
ure to add to the states revenue, sew
eral large oil concerns with offices in
Immediately took steps to-
ward fighting the constitutionality of
the present law, and to stop the new
legislation should it be !
pushed. They plan to file suits in con-
junction with the Texas Oil Company,
alleging that gasoline and kerosene are
necessities, and not 1uxuries. and
should not be taxed as Injuries.
It Is evident that if Florida at |
tempts to enforce any such legislation
it will run full against similar courtf
If this state counts on any
from that source for road del
velopment purposes 1t would be bad
fix for funds to find all its efforts
and it forced to wait
the slow procedure of the courts, |
years of contesting. before it |
could get the money. if it got it at all. |
Tampa Tribune.