The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1936-10-14
SECURITY-HUMAN AND HUMANE


the present and the future Columbus was,
the farmers are, and Human Security
dawns for happier immediate future for
the aged, the helpless, the blind and that
group in which, perchance, there may be
found awaiting salvage, one of the great
est men or women of tomorrow, the de-
pendent child group.
> =, Florida is meeting the need of the mo-
mert by'a temporary eXpedient. Our Con-
stitution does not permit us to Obligate the
State to match the Federal grant which,
with our cooperation, will do away with
that out-moded institution, the "poor
farm" Therefore, the several counties
have met the occasion, each by setting
aside an estimated amount that will qualify
them to receive their due portion of the
Federal contribution to the support of the
needy, the aged, the blind and the little
children.
This Federal contribution" does not
just come out of a clear sky. In income
and other taxes, we have established a
credit in the Federal Treasury, from which
we may draw for the account of Social
Security for these three classes for whom
we must provide.
Our moral right to our share of this
fund is'ebeyond question. 1t is fund to
which we have contributed. More than
that, tits fund to which it is likely that
we will continue to contribute for an in
definite time
To establish our legal right to our
share of this fund, it is necessary to amend
the Constitution of the State of Florida, so
that the legislature, in its coming session,
may make the necessary appropriation,
that will be matched by Federal funds,
plus five per cent
This amendment to the Constitution
of the State of Florida, can not be made
by the Legislature, unless it is first ap-
proved by vote Of the people of the
State. Unless it is so approved and passed,
we can not share in the Federal fund set
aside for this worthy cause
There can be little question as to the
merits of the Social Security Act; which
will be administered by residents of our
own State.
The three classes which it will aid,
are (a) The needy aged, sixty-five years
of age, or older. OBJ The needy blind.
(c) The child who can not be properly fed
and clothed without State aid.
These three classes we must help.
There is no question about that. The help
we have been able to render heretofore
has not been adequate. There is no ques-
ton about that The fund from which we
may receive Federal aid, is fund to which
we are contributors and, we repeat, one
to which we will continue to contribute
whether we receive any of it or not And
there is no question about that, either.
The act itself, and the statistics of the
aged, the blind and the help-needing chill
dren have all been published, repetition of
them is not necessary. They add up to a
sum total of failing strength, perpetual
darkness and ever-hungry children; an
aggregate of woe that no living soul would
pass by without alleviating if he could.
The Amendment will be printed on
your ballot, and below it will be the
spaces, For the Amendment and
Against the Amendment
We are not urging you to vote for the
amendment. We do not believe that is
needed. All that is necessary is to remind
you of the opportunity you have to do as
you perhaps, may yet come to wish that
you might be done by, and put your ''X''
in the space that provides peace for the
aged, light for the blind, and chance for
life for little children in Florida.