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 J.B.: Didn't he lose a lot of his power after reapportionment?

 Thomas: Yeah, he had to lose some, you know.

 J.B.: But if he hadn't lost it, they never would have passed that

 corporate income tax would they?

 Thomas: That's right. He lost some, but he's still powerful.

 J.B.: But in the old days, almost anything that he said went, right?

 Thomas: By himself, yeah, I mean, one man had that much power.

 J.B.: Didn't he have the reputation pretty much of just controlling the

 legislature?

 Thomas: Yeah. Because he could do it in so many ways. I mean, you know,

 he owned some of these guys lock, stock and barrel.

 J.B.: And then just being smart on top of that.

 Thomas: Real smart. But you know, when you come to Port Saint Joe, or

 Perry or Chipley or Bonifay or name the towns across there, every one

 of them has got a Florida National Bank. The only bank, in most cases.

 And some guy is running for the legislature or something and he's got

 a gas station or a drugstore, you better believe that they did what the

 hell he wanted them to do. It wasn't just north Florida, he had a lot of

 that control all over the state. And he had some big people, too.

 J.B.: Are those days gone forever in Florida?

 Thomas: I think so. I really do.

 J.B.: Well, this disclosure law as it is passed, will it be a hinderance

 in sofar as recruiting candidates?

 Thomas: Well, it depends on what form it is passed in. You know, what I

 wish that they would do, I think that there ought to be some kind of disclosure,

 but you know, I would like to see a bi-partisan committee set up with, you

 know, some top people on it that would look at the tax returns, have them

 file a statement, but you know, an awful lot of people aren't going to run


From the Southern Oral History Program, #4007, Interview 4-60 in the Southern Historical Collection,
University of North Carolina Library, Chapel Hill. FOR REFERENCE ONLY: PERMISSION TO
PUBLISH MUST BE REQUESTED. WARNING: MOST MANUSCRIPTS ARE PROTECTED BY COPYRIGHT.