FARRIS BRYANT FUR GOVERROR

"Best Qualified -- By Far"

BRYANT SPEECH LIBRARY #6

For use of:
City and County

SUBJECT: Speakers Comittees
(1) "Bryant the Candidate"

(2) "3tyint'5 PTOSIanw Approx. Length: 12 min.

The campaign for governor is much more than a popularity contest
between men who are engaged in a hand-shaking marathon around the State.
We are involved in a bold venture to cut Florida's future to the pattern
of our dreams.

How fortunate we are to have this opportunity. This is democracy
in its finest expression. It is our solemn affirmation of our convic-
tion that we are citizens of no mean state, and that out of the beauty
of her lakes and beaches, out of the fertility of her soil, out of the
magnificance of her cities, but even more, out of the nobility of her
people and their capacity for service to the society of which we are
the fortunate heirs we can and will build a future even more glorious
than her past .

Let us not content ourselves this evening, nor in this campaign,
with light platitudes about our children and their education. Farris
Bryant states it this way: "Aside from the home and the church, the
education of our children is the single greatest responsibility that

we have. As we love our children better than ourselves so shall we

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NOTE: Order additional copies all speeches
from BRYANT STATE HEADQUARTERS, OCALA, FLA.

Bryant Speech #6 -1o-
"Bryant the Candidate"
"Bryant's Progranr

of Florida are consumer taxes and as the people of Florida grow in
numbers and wealth the tax revenues of Florida will grow with them.
During the last six years not only has the number of taxpayers in Florida
increased, but the amount of taxes paid to the State government by each
taxpayer has increased 40%. Sarely, unless we want to kill the goose
that is laying the golden egg rnon which we thrive, we must so manage
our affairs as to XSVe within these means "

I would like to talk with you, if time permitted, of so many matters
with which Farris Bryant is concerned, almost or equally important to
those to which I have referred. The necesszty for constitutional revision.
the development of our great university system, the continued expansion
of our junior colleges, the promotion of conservation, the full utiliza-
tion of our parks and recreation areas, the promotion of safety on our
highways, are vital planks in the Bryant platform. He has an important
position on the question of highway safety. 1 quote: "If we can, by
improvei driver training, improved public education, stricter enforcement,
and better coordination of existing safety agencies achieve a reduction
of only 10% in the number of lives lost on the highways in one year We
shall have saved not only 100 precious lives, but the loss of multi-
millions of dollars. I pledge myself to use the powers of the office

of gavernur to save those lives and to conserve that wealth."

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Bryant Speech #6 -ll-
"Bryant the Candidate
"Bryant' 8 Program

I must close. There is so much left unsaid. Yet if I should talk
to you from now until dawn breaks we would have touched on only a fraction
of the problems that will confront the governor of Florida during the next
four years. You cannot place your faith in promises or even in the best
intentions. My father used to say that the only light to brighten our
path into the unknown future is the light of experience. The people of
Florida must judge those who seek their favor and their confidence in the
light of their record . their record of performance in public life,
their record of service in private life, their reputation for integrity,
their demonstrated capacity for leadership, the philosophy by which they
have lived. When all is said and done it is on that basis that they submit
their candidacy . it is in the record of the past that the voters of
Elorida must place their confidence.

Farris Bryant by his record is the best qualified candidate for

governor by far. Perhaps even in the history of Florida. I thank you.
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Venn, Cole 5 Associates, Inc.
721 Dupont Plaza Center
Miami 32, Florida

March 21, 1960

 Cfconh {:5
yaot the Candidate"

ryant's Program"
provide for them better than we provide for our other needs. Whatever
is required in terms of money to meet our educational goals we must
furnish; whateVer support our educators require to achieve our educa-
tional goals must be forthcoming."

Bryant further suggests that "This campaign will be worth all my
efforts and yours if out of it comes only an aroused interest in the
public school program, in the need for classrooms for our children,
in the qualifications of our teachers, and in the educational goals
which are being pursued. I think that we shall find that the vast
majority of the school program is good, and that part we must redouble
our efforts to support, expressing in hard and deed our gratitude to
those teachers and administrators who are responsible."

"As your governor," Bryant pledges, "I shall provide the leadership
for this arousal of public interest and enlist your support and partici-
pation in that campaign as well as this one. We shall establish joint
citizens and professional educators committees properly staffed and
financed to make a searching review of our whole public school system.
Having reaffirmed that which is good and that which is needed, we will
then throw our full support behind an effort to make our educational
system the finest in the nation."

Bryant is also a strong advocate of an expanded higher education

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Bryant the Candidate"
Urya'nt's Program"
program, and he is an avowed economist as witnessed by his following

statement: "when our children finish their education we want them to
graduate into a free economy. Second only to my concern about aduca~
tion is my concern for the continuing rise of governmental expenditures."

"A few weeks ago" Bryant continues, "I made the statement that
50 million dollars can be saved in the next two years in the operation
of the government of the State of Florida. When I made that statement
I intended to be, and was, extremely conservative. Since that time,
further research has convinced me that the possibility for savings is
far in excess of that figure.

"In 1953 and 1954 it was my privilege to serve as Speaker of the
House of Representatives, and in that capacity to administer the
financial affairs of that legislative body. we were faced there, as
the entire state government is now, with a picture of increased demands,
increased wage scales, increased costs in all areas. In spite of the
long-established upward trend, in spite of the higher wages and other
costs, we were able to reduce the cost of administration of the House
of Representatives lower than it had been since 1967 and far lower
than was that cost during the session which followed. It was so
simple to do. We did not employ people to fill jobs that were not
needed. We did not employ people for any jobs they were not qualified
to perform. We made no purchases except to meet pre-determined needs.

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GELEJZE'eIaimL-e

.Brya'nt' 8 Program

There was no magic ... no hocus pocus ... no brilliant financial
maneuvers. By the application to the administration of the House of
the same principles of economy and efficiency that you bring to your
own jobs and businesses we reduced the cost of operation 60% below the
average for the 2 years immediately preceding and the 2 years immed-
iately following the 1953-54 period and increased the efficiency of
the House at the same time. 50 million dollars will be approximately
31 of the budget of the State of Florida for the 2 years that lie
ahead of us. There is no question but that there is 31 waste in our
state government ... there is only the question as to whether the
people of Florida will elect a governor with the courage and ability

to cut that fat from the body politic. I believe that they will and

that you can show them the way."

Then, Bryant is the candidate who has expressed himself clearly on
the matter of states' rights. He says, "I want to take this oppor
tunity to make my position crystal clear, if it is not already so, on
the matter of constitutional government as it relates to the State of
Florida. There must be no uncertainty about the position I will take
on this basic question.

"Certain rights were reserved to the states when the Federal
Constitution was adopted, and I intend to demand the observance of

each of those rights. I serve notice now that I will, in every legal

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Bryant Speech #6 -5-

"Bryant the Candidate"

"Bryant' 3 Program"

way Open to me as governor, throw the full force of the State and the
full dignity of the office I shall hold behind my purpose to maintain
the integrity of the law. I will not countenance violation of our
rights, and I will not condone any involuntary knuckling under to an
invalid Federal encroachment.

"What I have said goes for our constitutional rights, including
specifically the proposed creation of a Federal dictator to oversee
our elections, the Federal government's attempt to force integration
in our schools, and every other effort to transgress upon the constitu-
tional sovereignty of the State of Florida. I shall not take upon
mysalf the responsibility of the governorship of the State of Florida
to preside over the destruction of the powers of this sovereign State.

"we fight a battle for mens minds. It cannot be won in Florida
alone, though we must not Weaken our stand on any front. Ultimately
we shall prevail in our determination to maintain our freedom through
the Federal system of an indissoluble union of sovereign states. But
we shall only do so by so conducting ourselves that the rest of the
nation comes to recognize the importance and the rightness of the stand
for constitutional government which we take.

"I an proud to be a Floridian, and I shall represent this State
with pride. Where we have made mistakes we will correct them, but I

shall not apologize for the valiant efforts of a noble people to sustain

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Bryant Speech #6 -6-
"Bryant the Candidate"
"Bryant' a Program"
convictions which they believe to be founded in the bedrock of our
Constitution. It will give me great pride to represent your views to
Americana everywhere, and I shall do so with loyalty and fidelity."
In typical, direct fashion, Farris Bryant makes this pledge:
"Our public schools will never be closed under any circumstances what-
soever while I am governort"
There are two great weaknesses in the road program of Florida,
according to Bryant, which have plagued it for a generation.
He states, "One weakness is the lack of money! We are a score of
years and a billion dollars behind in highway construction. If high-

ways could be paved with political promises there would not be enough

room left in Florida to grow orange trees.

"One of the reasons we are so far behind is that for years we
have been trying to pay off indebtedness of the 1920's, when
irresponsible and short-sighted politicians mortgaged Florida's future.
Even today in the bond markets of New York the ghost of that period
still haunts us. I shall never be willing to repeat that foolishness.

"But there are steps we can take toward the solution of our
problem. One is the establishment, over the next several years, of
a revolving right-of-way fund which will permit the acquisition of

rights-ofway for State highways in advance of need, on terms more

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.yidc Speech #6 -7-

"Bryant the Candidate"

"Bryant's ProgranP

favorable to the taxpayer, and less disturbing to the property owners.
When this is done we need no longer delay the construction of needed
roads in exploding areas because of exhaustion of local funds for
rights-of-way. We can build the roads most needed first, and do it
without saddling huge bond liabilities on prOperty owners.

"A second weakness in the highway program, Bryant continues,

"and perhaps its greatest weakness, is the administrative structure of
the Road Department. The allocation of road funds, and decisions as to
priority and location of new construction, is too often a political
instead of an economic process. Audits by the State Auditor are too
little and years too late. There is no opportunity to review decisions
made or contracts let. The arbitrary cancellation of existing road
contracts by an incoming governor is not a cure for the weakness, but
an indictment of the decision making process.

"County and city officials have been given no responsible part in
the over-all highway plan, if such exists.

"After you have done me the great honor of selecting me as the
Democratic nominee in the primaries in Hay,I shall innediately call
together a committee to be composed of former road chairmen and road
board members now removed from politics who can bring to bear on this
great and important problem the full weight of their experience and
knowledge. They know the weaknesses in our structure, as no one else
in Florida can possibly know, and their practical experience is a vast

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Bryant Speech #6 -8-
"Bryant the Candidate
"Bryant' a Program"
resource which we must tap. We can seek the services of the auditor of
the State of Florida, the advice of the Legislative Road Committee, the
cooperation of the existing Road Board and its staff, and the help of
representative city and county officials. From these sources we shall
put together a plan for the maximum utilization of the funds now avail-
able and available tomorrow in increasing abundance

"I do not hold up for you any illusion that my election as your
governor will completely solve our road problems. But I do give you this
solemn and confident assurance that we shall combine the most capable

minds with the highest purpose to achieve the heat roads in the areas

of greatest need."
As to reapportionment, Bryant says clearly: "I am dedicated to the
proposition that raapportionment of the Legislature of the State of
Florida is a constitutional necessity. The Constitution provides that
the Legislature shall reapportion itself, and that if they fail to do so
the governor shall call them into extraordinary session and hold them
there until they shall have performed their duty. This is a constitu-
tional responsibility of the governor, and this I shall, without fail, do."
Bryant speaks of our states future: "The economy of Florida is
dominated by the characteristic of growth. More people make their living,

more people enjoy prosperity, because of the fabulous growth of the State

then because of any other single factor. Builders, realtors, lawyers,

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Bryant Speech #6 -9-

"Bryant the Candidate

"Bryant's Program"

insurance men, carpenters, masons, plumbers, electricians, furniture
dealers, building contractors and a whole host of persons engaged in
working for themselves and for others are able to do better than those
in similar occupations throughout the southeast because in Florida there
is an added factor of growth.

"Florida is going to continue to grow regardless of who is elected
governor. It has been doubling in population every 20 years since 1830,
and literally exploding since 1950. But because our economic society is
so closely attuned to a condition of growth every effort must be made to
see that our economy continues to expand. We must be concerned not only
to bring new industries into Florida, but to bring into Florida new
industries which can contribute the most to the quality of living which
has been our greatest asset. Clean industry, paying good wages, assuming
its fair share of the tax burden, must be continually sought. And while
I do not for a moment think that the governor should consider himself
a permanent chamber of commerce, the great prestige of his office and
his sales ability should certainly be made available on significant
occasions for the promotion of Florida.

Bryant has a firm position on taxation. He suggests that "People
and industries who want to come to Florida are greatly influenced by our
tax structure. We must make every effort to keep that structure attrac-

tive. At the present time approximately 85% of the taxes of the State

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