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NEWS CONFERENCE
GOVERNOR FARRIS BRYANT
TALLAASSEB

MAY 14, 1964

x: iHEN PARTICIPATING: Bill Bowen, WCTV; Robert W. Delaney, --=weg '
ZZETZKEL; Jim Gillespy, UNITED PRESS INTERNATIONAL; John Hayes, WFGA,
WT? ~ Lee Lepensohn, ASSOCIATED PRESS; Budd Mellichamp, ABC RADIO;

Jae Eice, ST. PETERSBURG TIMES; Hattie Seabrook, JOHN H. FERRY PAPERS;
Rey §terr, ABC RADIO; George Thurston, WFLA,WJXT; Martin Waldron, ST.

Esra-eaves mess-MIAMI HERALD SERVICE; Everett William, FLORIDA TIMES
UNION; Paul unis, ASSOCIATED PRESS.

 

GOVEEHQR: Good morning, gentlemen and lady. Do you have any questions
this morning?

WALDRON: Governor, have you had any complaints about the irregularities
in the May 5 primary?

GOVERNOR: Have I as Governor?

NALDEON: Yes.

GOVEEXOR: No, I have read about them and heard rumors about them, but
I have not had any complaints about them as such.

VaszDH: Do you know if anybody is investigating the alleged
irregularities?

GOVEFHGR: Nobody on the part of the Governor's Office. Now, I would
assume that if there are complaints they would have been directed to
the Secretary of State's office and what he is doing about it I don't
have Eny knowledge.
3.33h3: Governor, if the Legislature did come back here for a
Ipccial session, you talked about urging constitutional revision, would

on L'. in the light of what has happened, sir, urge them also to go

57' 3e election laws of the state?

:CYERJUR: I don't know that there is any emergency there. It seems to

.e tgi can be handled in the '65 session without any great problem.
Pherc :3 a general election coming up, but I seriously doubt that

TGllniS of the kind that have been indicated would be particularly

rerii 2 at that time.

1:23. what would you think the Legislature should do on the basis of
the problems that seem to arise now? Have you given any thought to it?
GOVZEHR: I really haven't, Mr. Wills, studied it from that standpoint
:0 far. I am very keenly concerned in the purity of the ballot. If
-hers are differences of Opinion among registrars or others as to
:xectlf what is required, these ought to be cleared up because we can

save all the political righting we want to until people reach the booth

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2r~ : that point it ought to stop and all other errors can be corrected
1: 1 people's will at the polls can be accurately and properly
Gt. Jed. And I think that anything necessary to insure the.purity

5 : ballot ought to be done.

When you said there have been a lot of differences among the
5:3.Tiscr5, I believe you said, did you mean in the standard for
r:;-utcring the voters?

GDY:J 03: Well, as I understand it and mind you the only pleading I
:lvt scan as I was made a defendant in this Alachua County suit by the
rnjlsrar to expunge the grand Jury report and a copy or the pleading
wen canoes my desk and I thumbed it and she indicated that she was
operating according to certain laws and she thought they charged her
with having been operating according to other laws. This is really
aha: : ned in mind when I made that particular remark. These things
ought to be clarified.

HILLIARD: In connection with that, too, Governor, do you think a person
who registers and thinks he is registered properly -- do you think if
the registrar makes a mistake or not signing it that the voter should

be disenfranchised?
ECVEEHOH: I think that the principle matter or concern is the purity
of the ballot and that that ought to be maintained. Now, whatever the

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t .dards are -- you can make the standards what the voter thinks or

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mhat the registrar thinks -- whatever you want the standards to be, but

when :nose standards have been determined they ought to be enforced
and maintained. Now, you can argue as to whether they are more strict
than :38y ought to be in particular cases, but whatever they are
deter:ined to be, those standards ought to be maintained. I think the
pengl are entitled to know that where the casting of a ballot is
touC' :7d the law will be enforced.

=F' Governor, if the registrar makes the mistake, Why should the

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':" : penalized?

dV' 4: I don't say that he should be penalized. I am not

or ~Lng that at all, but there has got to be some standard about
'hic: re move. I say those standards ought to be maintained, whether
-t 57..;izes or benefits it doesn't make any difference to me. But
hut: -: they are, those are the standards that ought to be maintained.

re :6 other questions?

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' KAYFW: Governor, earlier this week the Dade County Grand Jury

:--- zendcd that the next administration replace the Road Board

s;:- .teea with professional administrators. Do you have any comment
 a: No, that has been a continuing recommendation. It has an
n:_- ;, of course. You get away from the kind of response which has
;=-i ;nique in a democracy. For instance, I haven't read the Dede
Ccuatv Grand Jury report -- I was shown a clipping of it a few moments
a; as the thought occurred to me that if we had had that kind of
:i;;-;:trator, I could not have taken the action to put almost $11
rl;;ln into the East-West Expressway in Dade County which I did

rags;:;y because that wasn't provided for by any formula, nor could

a v: taken $5 million and devoted it to Interama ~ $3 million of

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;s lying up in cash waiting on Interama to be built in Dade

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' -- maybe this ought not to have been done, but it was done and

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being done in an effort to meet the needs of the people as they

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occur. One thing that is so difficult for voters to understand, and

I can appreciate it full well -- you take the interstate system, I
thin; in the Eastern part of the State of Florida, that is from
Tallahassee east and south, there are only 27 counties that are
:zached by the interstate system and all the others are out out. Well,
if ycu are going to divide the money up on a population basis you

wil; hover build the interstate system, it can't be done. Yen simply
Lav: :: -- in Hamilton County, for instance, is a large segment of

t>s 'nterstate system leading to all the rest of Florida -- if you

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divided the money on population Hamilton County's segment of inter-

state would never be built. Now, these are factors that must be taken
into :cnsideration. Now this does not mean that the present system is

gezg ;: or that improvements cannot be made. Of course, they can, but

: be very reluctant to have ourselves put in any straight Jacket
*2 a: he utilization of tho State Road funds is concerned. And
no: for myself because it won't affect me in any event, but
good of Florida in the future.

:3: -1x: Governor, would replacing the political appointees with

::< .Lonal administrators on the Road Board necessarily result in

.nactice like allocation of money according to county population?

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GOVERNOR: or course not. Engineers -- professional people --
norc~iously and perhaps unfairly are charged, at least. with having
two coals -- that is a point of departure and a point of destination
and drawing a straight line and going between it regardless of other
considerations. well, or course, engineers don't do that sort or
thin Nevertheless, they would be for less responsive to other than
Engliecring considerations. And there are many times when other than
en::.~ering considerations -- economic factors, the beauty of a park,
see: drives and things like this ought to be considered that might
to? ~ considered under such a system.
E5;: ION: Would you consider it an improvement in road administration
if EUR Road Board were reorganized in such a way as to eliminate the
little kingdom that each board member now has?
GGERxOR: Yes, I would. That's why we started our, what we call,
offJe-top program. You see there is about forty to titty million
dol;:rs of primary funds available for construction each year and we
2::: 10 million off the top each of these years and said this money
is oing to be spent statewide. It is the way we built the interstate
eyzt-n by and large and the off-the-top program. we are going to
build thesa first because these are of all-state significance. Now,
you can expand that to $20 million or all of the money if you wish to
do so. I don't know whether that would be proper or not because there
are problems of maintenance; interstate roads cost $3,000 a mile to
maint;in, for instance; and there are many other problem 8 that must
be c'ucidered. But I do believe that the sort or kingdom structure
ought to be broken down and we have made a start at doing that.
I?:2::CN: Could that be done by reorganizing and changing the
ruuzure of the Road Board as a matter of appointment or would it

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have :0 be done by the Legislature?

GOVERXOR: No. I am not sure to what extent the law would restrict
you on that basis. As a matter or fact. when we took the $10 million
off the top I am not sure we checked with the lawyers as to whether

we could do that or not. I think we Just saw it needed to be done and
EaY; -:ne it. So I couldn't answer that question.

7",. : are the Road Board districts set up by the Constitution or

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I dont know whether they are set up -- Are they constitutions
y: ; :Lutory, Mr. Chairman?

n .u- u.n.
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eezzzes: i think they are statutory.
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.l.;: I believe they are. I think they are statutory and follow

: :sxgressional districting program.

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3y statutes then they could be changed to conform with the present
congressional districts?

GCVEANCR: They could, correct. And the percentages could be varied-

For ;ustance, in the hth district at the present time a little bit
b .

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er than 25 per cent -- not 20 per cent which is l/Sth -- but a
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:12 bit better than 25 per cent of the monies are allocated to the
:h iistrict.

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nou..- no 0

Governor, in a campaign issue recently Mr. Dickinson

en=grod Mr. Burns and there has been an allegation that Mr. Burns

agr. to :ick up a $100 thousand deficit that Dickinson had. In

15- .. ickinson endorsed you. Did you pick up any campaign funds?
16"" 3: No, sir, not then and I know nothing about the allegations
a: .."2 time, one way or the other. I have no knowledge about it.
ra3330K: You may have answered this question before. But in View
of :1: difference of opinion on the matter of the vote recount, do
you

' r-Lnk it should be spelled out more clearly in the law?
3CY::7:R: Yes, I do. Yes, this ought to be done.

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.t_.*- has asked that.

It is a good point.
I do feel that the provision for a recount

an:;: :9 be clearly set forth so that if there is going to be such it

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: done rapidly and with as little possible delay in the provision

for the second primary. Also, of course, if it is found that there

it not time for a recount and the necessary campaigning before the
:econd primary some provision ought to be made perhaps for delay of
the Seannd primary.

-.ivi;nn. Governor, isn't it within the power or the court to do

inn: : -- say the Supreme Court?

;;J;N.UR: I would hesitate to say it is not. I don't know exactly

-.2t statute or provision they would derive it, but I would think
:12: u the provision of complete Justice this might be required.

if they see there has been fraud or something on that order,

'Lzy to: throw the entire election out can't they?

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GOVERNOR: Oh, yes. He was talking about deferring the second
3, I believe. I understood that. Of course they can.

TuU;£ON: What changes do you think would be desirable in the

aloe ion laws for smoothing out situations such as developed this week?
GOVERNOR: I haven't really given this the study that I ought to do
before trying to answer that kind or a question. I really Just am not
that familiar with the election laws. When I studied them, I studied
them from one viewpoint and I didn't go beyond that viewpoint at the
time.

:HYES:WN: Has it occurred to you from the incidents of this week --
:he noise and shouting -- that perhaps some changes in election -
procedures might be desirable?
GOVERKO : Yes, I would think so. I certainly would.
SEABRCDT: Who is going to replace Mr. Jarrard?
GOVERNOR: No, ma'am, no decision has been made on that yet. Asa
matter of fact, I have only had a chance to talk with him by telephone
I think since receiving his attempted resignation, which I have not

yet accepted.

3215332: Governor, there is a man down in west Palm Beach out of
work right now. (laughter)

EOVEFIOR: He hasn't applied.

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EOUEK: Governor, I know this is a little late because the votes are

in ani everything, but in the investigation your office was going to
10 or the allegations of Mr. Faircloth on Mr. Kynes use or the airplane

-h:: .; the result or that investigation by your office?

ZTZE 'i: I found that as to the airplanes over which I have any

J: : -ance as I recall the charge was "the Governor's air force
3: a; to this business," this was not true as to them. As to others,

, req.e:ted of Mr. Kynes to advise me if he had been utilizing any

3f :12 other planes for such purposes and was advised that he had not
no : expanded to Mr. Faircloth at that time to that effect. That
a: ., at the size or it. Mr. Kynes is a constitutional officer at
'z;; TLL? in any event, and of course he is not responsible to me in
ihat garticular area.

TZLLTZT: You haven't had any planes shot down lately have you?

ccvzixuz: No, nor pilots shot.

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EELaifY: In Polk County it was rumored they were going to shoot

dons 3 Bryant air force.

35v 3: well, it wouldn't be hard to do. (laughter)

szL' TY: Along this same line, there is a report going around in
3: that the facility there maintaining state airplanes down there

was LuiUG to be closed. Do you know of any plans to do this?
GOVERHDR: No. That arises out of, and I will give it to the extent
it does have some substance -- out of a request by the City of Goals
for vne release of the property to them on some mutually agreeable
terms. The facility in Ooala has not been as successful as I had
hop: enat it would be and I did instruct the persons in charge to
negtflate to see if favorable terms could be worked out. They have
no: :nported to me that it could and so it is Just in that nebulous
state.

SILLESEY: Well, do I understand from your statement then that if
terms could be worked out to turn it over to Ocala then it would be
abolished or disbanded?

GOVEEKO : If terms favorable to the state could be worked out, then
we would do it. The real problem with the facility in Ooala that I
did ac: contemplate has been pilot resistance. I guess I should have
anticipated it, but they prefer going to some private shop. They are
probably treated more courteously, they probably get a courtesy car
to run into town, they are probably coaxed there - all those things
a free enterprise provides aren't provided at Ocala. And I found
the pilot resistance to the use of the facility that I had not
anticipated.

: Well, now, as I recall this was the Game and Fresh water
Fish Tommission facility anyway wasn't it? would they Just get rid
of :Lir facility, too?

GOVEEEOR: Correct. well, of course, the people that I am having do
the negotiating is Mr. Madill of the Game and Fresh water Fish
Commission and he has complete freedom in working out the terms.,
Ofozurse, they had three men and a facility in the first place. I
this: there are four people down there now so so far as the state is
concerned there is not a great deal involved. But on the broad basis
:ns: we tried to establish it it hasn't saved the money I hoped it
it would do. Ho reason why it shouldn't, except these intangible

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that we haven't been able to cope with.

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SllESFY: You did say it was running the black now though?

JJVZSNOR: I believe it is. The last report that I have, which was
about two months ago now it was running in the black.

3: would you say that that was one of the few disappointments
w: y:wr administration?

3:?33533: I think it is one of the few real failures, I really do.
And I a: sorry for this one. Well, I say a failure, it is not running
;n :59 red. It could be made to work, but I don't have time and I
an ac: sure the next governor will work on it anyway. (laughter)

wry --

.-ls AD: What is the matter, did you have too many generals in
your air force?

GOVERNOR: Well, we have a very high class air force. (laughter)
Are there other questions.

Thank you gentlemen and lady.

Y_¢.;: Thank you.

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