Palatka daily news. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1919-1994, 1922-05-11
PANDERERS TO SELFISH
PRINCIPLES IN POLITICS

With the closing of the period in
which candidates for representation in
the legislature may qualify for the
June primary the list of starters is
complete and Putnam, like many 9TH
er counties, affords an example of
men offering for the office with no
very clear idea why they wish to go
to the legislature other than ITO car
ry out the wishes of the people" What
a pity we cannot have candidates who
have some original ideas of their own
which they are better informed and
better qualified to enact into law than
the sentimental expressions that a
legislator may hear as he travels
among the hastings.
Florida is the oldest and the young
est state in the union. First settled,
it has lain dormant for centuries, its
vast resources being neglected for rea-
sons which no man can at this late
day satisfactorily account for. 1t is
just coming into Importance as an ag-
ricultural, horticultural, mechanical
and animol industrial state, and conse-
quently it is of the highest Importance
that every department Of the states
executive and legislative branches
should function with the greatest eff
ficiency, that modern ideas, innova-
tions and reforms be introduced and
that the Anticipated and reactionary
element be educated, if possible, and
if not, overpowered in the onward
march to progress.
If the leading business men of Flo
.rida, the men with most vision and
whose works have proven their judg-
ment, were assembled and asked to
make expression of the most import
ant bit of legislation the next legis1a-
ture will be asked tor consider we have
10 doubt but that the expression
would be unanimous that the regula-
ton of the live stock industry in the
state would be the most important.
In fact such expression, at various
times, has already been made. The
industry, at present, is bankrupt.
Many of the progressive cattlemen
whose hands have been tied by those
who will not see, regard the situation
n hnnnla-S ,,,,1nee lou &c. oIof
ed that will open the markets of the
country to Florida and permit of the
expansion of the live stock industry
in accord with the states possibili-
ties. Several financial institutions of
the state have closed their doors since
the last legislature met because the
live stock industry was prone and
loans made upon stock could not be IL
guidated
With such a situation in existence
in the state, with a stone wall erected
around it TO keep in all tick infested
cattle, we have two candidates for
Senator in this county, one openly and
in public print avowing that "believ-
ing that any change in the stock laws
now in force would be detrimental to
the best interests of the state, l shall
oppose any legislation looking to re-
pealing or amending the present
laws"
The other candidate for the senate
does not refer to the issue at all in
the only public statement of his
principles" so far as we have seen
but asks support off you regard my
past service in this office of a char.
acter TO warrant my application fol
another term" His past service was
strenuous opposition to the passage
of the tick eradication bill every time
it has been introduced.
Both of these gentlement, undoubt
edlv, are Convinced that the question
is rurelv local, that the shortsightet
desires of some of the cattle raiser!
in this county represent the ideal sta
tus in the industry and that all of tht
experience and success of those wht
have tried the progressive plan arr
wrong and detrimental to development
nut thew cannot justify their position
BY the situation or plight in which the
cattle men in this county find them
selves.
The News is well aware that prac
tical1v every owner of scrub cattle il
Putnam county is opposed TO compul
sorry dipping to eradicate the tick
that any contrary view is unpopular
that this newspaper adds nothing tt
its auureciation in the county by ad
vocating such LEGISLATION, but we arr
so confident of the ultimate triumph
of modern methods, of proven prac
tees and a CONSEQUENT Inversion Cd
the present non-believers that we es'