The Ocala evening star., 1922-10-31
ARGUMENT ON RE-
APPORT|ONMENT
Messrs. Phillips and Van Roy Debated
That Important Question Before
An Ocala Audience

Considering the number of other
attractions in the city Monday eve
ming the debate scheduled between
Messrs. w. w. Phillips of Lake City,
and Frederick Van Roy of Crystal
River, on the reapportionment amend
ment to be voted on at next Tuesdays
election, was attended by goodly
number of voters.
Mr.. d. Mel Ferguson was selected
as chairman of the meeting and intro
duced the speakers. Mr.. PhillipA
opened with a ten-minute talk, after
which Mr.. Van Roy presented his
argument against the adoption of the
amendment.
! Mr.. Van Roy, after a few prelimi-
nary remarks, produced large map
of Florida, in which the counties had
been divided into groups, as used by
the secretary of agriculture to show
the varied industries of the different
sections of the state. With this he
endeavored to explain why the pro-
posed amendment could not better the
political situation as to the equalzing
of the power held by the several Sec
tions of the state in the legislative
bodies of Florida
He claimed that the amendment
should be defeated for the reason
that under its provisions our legisla-,
ture would become too large, citing
number of other states which got
along fine with a smaller number. Mr..
Van Roy claimed that there was no
assurance that the coming legislatures
would enforce it's provisions with any
more regularity than past ones have
done for the last thirty odd years.
Following are the high spots in Mr..
Phillips argument:
He used the line advocated by state
divisionists as the logical line for po-
litical division of the two sections,
and argued if it was good enough for
state division it was the right line for
the division of the two sections.
He showed by the 1920 census that
both sections contained nearly an
equal amount of population-North,
Central and West Florida with a pop
ulation of 3s2,6 ,643, South Florida with
a population of 4S3, ,557. With the re-
apportionment there would be one
representative to approximately ev-
L Q00n- ua Cd ~
equitable representation should be
based on the state as whole and not
a given community or section. He
stated that as the years go by the
state would be growing to this ap-
portionment and not eternally grow
ing from it. He presented the thought
and pointed out the dangers of en-
ergency legislation. That reappor-
tiontionment was not an emergency
matter but one that should be settled
along broad lines, and one that
would grow in favor and become more
Equitable as the years come and go.
He contended and proved that the
senate would be equally divided when
this apportionment amendment was
adopted, showing that each section
Of the state would have nineteen SEN
ators.
/ He convinced his hearers that his
reasons for the adoption Of the
amendment were logical and just
when he proved that from the very
beginning both sections would have
equal representation, while as the
years come and go South Florids
would gain a clear majority IN the
lower house.
The failure of past legislatures IN
reapportioning the state, he said, i.
no reason for argument against ths
:. present amendment and no excuse fol
the people to fail to do their duty
now.
Sectional lines should be wiped ou
ard the welfare of the state shouls
J. be the only guiding thought of thos,
who make laws. No legislator cal
live to his county alone, but shoult
broaden out, and bow to wholesome
laws for the government Of the en-
tire state. We want only one Flor
ida and this amendment will Civ
every section (as whole) equal rep
r resentation.
Both speakers made splendid argu
ments from their respective view
points, and the meeting adjourne
> with the most friendly feeling. Nj
$ Ferguson thanked the speakers IN tn
name of Marion county for comm