The Punta Gorda herald., 1922-09-22
Volume NXXIV.-Number 81
REAPPORTIONMENT PLAN
FAVORED BY ETHEREDGE
State Senator Believes that Proposed
Amendment is Fair to South
ern Counties

Dr.. E. j. Etheridge, senator from
tn 27th senatorial district, including
Charlotte, Manatee, Sarasota, DeSoto,
Hardee, Highlands and Glades coun-
ties, in a letter to f. p. Green. Brad
entown, urges support Of the pro-
posed constitutional amendment for
reapportionment. The letter is in
reply to one from Mr.. Green asking
regarding the subject. Mr.. Green
is mayor of Bradentown and a mem
ber of the State Road Department.
Pointing out that whatever in
equality exists under the immediate
reapportionment will disappear in the
next when South Florida's counties
increase in population, Mr.. Etheridge
also points to the fast that the sena-
torial districts will have to be based
on population and no arrangement
can be made that will be more fair
to this section, and that as it grows,
South Florida's balance of power will
mount
He also points to the present con-
stitutional limitation on the number
of representatives, which means that
Hillsborough, Duyal and other large
counties which now have two repre-
sentatives will have TO give up one,
because as there are as many coun-
ties as the limit for members set by
the constitution sixty-one - h
county can have only one.
Mr.. Etheridge's letter, in part, fol-
lows:
CAS- is well known, South Florida
has been fighting every legislative
year for reappOrtionment, and has
been doing so for the last twenty
years, but nothing has been done so
far, and it seems as if we have no
real assurance that anything will be
done soon. unless he people ratify
the action OF the last legislature.
Il have read with much interest
what a lot of the South Florida news
papers have had TO say relative to
this proposed amendment, and | re-
gret exceedingly their attitude in the
matter, for | feel that they do not
fully understand the true situation.
Il worked and voted for this
amendment at the last session of the
legislature, and | am still of the opin-
ion that it is a good equitable amend
ment for the entire state, and espec-
tally for South Florida.
The people of South Florida have
felt for many years that they were
not getting square deal in the mat
ter of representation in our legisla
tive nails at Tallahassee, and have
asked for reappoTtionment from year
10 year, but what have they gotten?
And now since they have an oppor-
tunity to get reapportionment, they
are inclined to refuse it.
MAY | not ask those who are Op-
posing this amendment, what kind of
amendment they desire? Do they in
sist that they must have an amend
ment which will give South Florida
absolute control of the legislative
power of the state, regardless of
whether or not she is entitled TO it?
Il do not believe that South Flor
ida wishes such power unless she is
justly entitled to it, and if she is en-
titled to it, the proposed amendment
will give it TO her at the next session
of the legislature.
The last legislature deliberated
over this proposed amendment for
days, yes, weeks, and finally, after
mature consideration and deliberatiOn
adopted it by virtually unanimous
vote of both the house and senate,
and | still believe we did not make
a mistake in its adoption.
Suppose South Florida rejects this
at the November election,
what assurance have we that We will
get a better woTded amendment at
the next session, or get reappOrtiOn-
ment at all? Will not the members
of west and north Florida say to
South Florida: We offered you reap
portionment and you would not have
it, so what more can we do?
by South Florida rejecting this
proposed amendment, will most as
suredly cause a wrong impression
throughout north and west Florida,
and to my mind South Florida will
be the loser, and reapportionment
will be many years coming.
Many citizens believe that the
present general assembly is not a le-
gally constituted body, in that the
present house has more than 6S
members. By adopting this proposed
will forever remove that
cloud" and no one can question this
matter.
For the sake of argument, say
that this proposed amendment is not
what South Florida would like TO
have, nor is it an equitable reappor-
tionment, would it not be much east
er to have the amendment amended
and get an equitable apportionment