OF STATE ROAD DEPARTMENT
Governor Hardee today accepted j tvhen creating this law, when power the resignation of lion. J. D. Smith was given to the state road dcpnrt-of Marianna as member of the state *mcnt to construct roads by not ereat-road department, representing the i. third congressional district of Florida.
The term for which Mr. Smith was
commissioned expires October 4th of this year.
Simultaneously with the acceptance of Mr. Smith's resignation, the governor announced that he will appoint Hon. AV. AT. Corry of Quincy as his successor. Under the law this appointment goes to the third congressional district. Mr. Corry is a very popular and successful 'business man of this section and his appointment will give general satisfaction.
Following is Mr. Smith's letter of resignation:
Marianna, Fla.. Sept. 2Sth, 1022. Governor Cary A. Hardee,
Tallahassee, Fla.
Dear Governor Hardee:
As per former notification mailed on several days ago that T intended to send my resignation in a few days T hereby tender said resignation as a member of the state road department, representing the third congressional district of the state of Florida.
I have intended to do this some time ago and have so stated and I believe I should have done so, but from the fact that several sections interested in my territory as well as other parts of the state, have persuaded me to defer this matter. Then too I did want to first see that west Florida and the third congressional district was assured of bridges so travel could pass from the west to the east without the use of ferries: the last one of these bridges, which is of vast importance, not yet finite being assured was Escambia bridge.
T had differed with the road department from the time that this board was given the power to construct roads, concerning its general way of conducting the affairs of the department, especially in methods adopted for appropriating its funds, as well as its other various assets.
The legislature made a mistake
ing an act at the same time governing this very point of distributing this money by some fair system; we might say r budget system, or if not, the act should have stated how the state road department must distribute these assets in congressional districts or in certain territories, we might say similar to the laws governing the federal aid appropriations. But as' this j was not done the state road depart-j ment should have of itself enacted! a budget system of some kind that would have given to each section or: certain roads practically what it do-1 serves. I have always stated thatj this department must get together on | some plans like his before much real i satisfaction would come from our] labors.
I have a letter that was written by the Honorable Ed Scott before he left us, admitting that the board should have accepted this idea which' I had suggested from the very begin-j ning: that he saw the present sys-i tem was not going to lie satisfactory, j Other states are operating "under aj budget system which is giving much j better satisfaction to the people than, we are giving under our present sys- i tem, which is really more or less of, a grab game.
I believe that the next legislature will see its former mistakes and give us a better road law. T hope my successor will prove a credit to your administration.' T will further state that no one in my territory lias any knowledge of this resignation going into the governor’s office.
Thanking you for the courtesies extended and the honor shown me and with the very best wishes for the success of road building and for the success of your administration,
I am,
Very truly yours.
J. D. SMITH,
Member of State Road Department, Third Congressional District o Stab of Florida.
I D. SMITH RESIGNS AS MEMBER