The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1922-01-24
SPECIAL INTEREST
WANTS A SPECIAL SESSION

Gov. Hardee has had two impor-
tunities since the legislature adjourn
ed last summer to call it in special
session, and has refused. We presume
he will soon have another.
Some prominent citizens of the state
have concluded that it would be salu-
brious to assemble the legislature
again right away, and pass bill to
eradicate the tick. For this purpose
they have sent letters to number of
the members of the House and Sem
ate-perhaps to all-asking their
opinions on the subject, and request
ing them to at once wire the Jackson
vile chamber of commerce if they can
attend conference at the Seminole
hotel in Jacksonville Thursday after
noon, to debate this most important
question-and warning them all to be
graveyard on the subject up to the
last split second.
; The Star favors tick eradication, but
it does not favor special session of
the legislature, especially if it is to be
brought about by gumshoe methods,
such as asking member of the legis-
lature to keep his constituents in ig-
norance that he is going to attend a
conference that will deal with-per-
haps decide-a public matter concern
ing them all. We have little doubt
that the gentlemen who are trying to
arrange for the conference mean well
and are trying to do a good thing for
their state, but their tactics are en-
tirely reprehensible and we doubt
that they will meet the approval of
either sensible legislators or the gov
ernor. The proper thing to do is to
bring this matter before the people in
the coming primary and let them in
struct their chosen candidates as to
their wishes.
1t is best for the people to always
resist anything that may encourage
the self-chosen few to believe it is
their exclusive province to do the
thinking for the state.
Tick eradication is a matter of
prime importance, but, having borne
with the evil it is intended to cure for
many years, we can probably live thru
another eighteen months. If the reg
ular session of the legislature would
do nothing for it, there can be no as
surance that an extra session, no
matter what promises were made,
would do any better.
The letter to the legislators is as
follows:
Jacksonville, Fla, Jan. Is.
Dear Sir: Many well informed peo-
pie from various sections of this state
believe that sentiment in favor of tick
eradication is now so strong that if a
special session of the legislature were
soon held an effective tick eradication
bill could be passed.
We are confident that if majority
of the members of each house should
request the governor to call special
session he would do so, provided that
majority of the members of each
house would pledge themselves to
pass an effective tick eradication bill
approved by the United States Bureau
OF Animal Industry, and would also
pledge themselves to consider no other
business than that expressly included
In the call that he may issue.
The federal government insists that
the existing quarantine shall continue
until there is effective legislation actu-
ally IN operation. Every day that the
quarantine continues, is costing Flor
ida many thousands of dollars, not
only on account of the quarantine. but
also because so long as we have the
tick just so long will the agriculture
and live stock industry in Florida be
retarded.
This matter being of such vast inn
portance to the whole state, we deem
it wise to call conference of a few
well informed men from each section
of the state to consider:
Whether it is deemed now possible
to obtain the pledges from the ma
jority of the legislature, as above in
dictated, and if so, the most expeditions
manner of obtaining such pledges.
How to most effectively bring the
force of public opinion to bear upon
this most important question.
We urge you to meet with us at
such a conference to be held at Jack
sonville, in. the Seminole hotel. on
Thursday, january 26, 1922, at two
o'clock p. m.
We will be very much obliged il