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NEWS CONFERENCE
GOVERNOR FARRIS BRYANT
TALLAHASSEE
APRIL 9, 1964
NEWSMBN PARTICIPATING: Bill Bowen, WCTV; Jim Gillespy, UNITED PRESS
INTERNATIONAL; John Hayes, NFOA,WTVJ; Budd Hellichamp, ABC RADIO;
Doug Starr, ASSOCIATED PRESS,- Rey Starr, ABC RADIO; George Thurston,
WFLA,WJXT.
GOVERNOR: Good morning.
SEVERAL: Good morning.
R.STARR: Governor, Representative Earl Faircloth has told the press
that a day ago he sent you a letter, at your request, outlining specific
instances in which General Kynes has been using an airplane -- I think
he said seven instances. Do you have his letter and do you have any
comment on it?
GOVERNOR: No, I have not received the letter. I heard about it this
morning, but I haven't seen the newspaper report on it. And, of course,
until I know the instances about which he speaks I have no comment.
R.STARR: Is this a natural thing in a political campaign, Governor,
where someone would come to you to ask you to --
GOVERNOR: Well, I really don't know. Nothing is natural really in a
campaign. Each candidate does those things he thinks are heat
calculated to advance his cause. In this particular instance, I don't
know the basis for the question and I really can't respond.
THURSTON: Governor, could you tell us about the visit of hr. Joby
Jones to your office yesterday?
GOVERNOR: Yes, Mr. Jones came over here to discuss the conduct of his
office. At this moment, that is the only comment I have to make about
our visit.
THURSTON: Can yOu tell us whether it had any connection at all with
the recent police troubles in Jacksonville?
GOVERNOR: No, I ought not to comment, but should be able to extend my
remarks in the very near future.
BOWEN: Governor, would you comment on Governor Wallace's trip to
wisconsin and the outcome of his trip -- the vote?
GOVERNOR: Well, it seems to me that the vote in Wisconsin certainly
demonstrated that the apparent unanimity in the north was only apparent
and not real on the matter of civil rights, and that there are a great
many people all over the nation who take the position that I think the
peeple of Florida in the majority do that the question of personal
associations are questions that ought to he left for the resolution of
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the individuals. Are there other questions?
R.STARR: Governor, may I expand on that for Just a moment. There have
been reports that the Democratic Party says they will carry every state
in the south except Mississippi. Do you see in the light of Governor
Wallace's vote in Wisconsin anything that would dissuade them?
GOVERNOR: No. First or all, I am not, or course, familiar with the
climate of Opinion in states other than Florida in any great degree,
but I see nothing in the opinion eXpressed by the people of Wisconsin
that would change it. As a matter or fact, I would think that it, if
anything, would moderate the position or the Democratic Party to a
point that it would make them even more favorably disposed toward the
south and vice versa.
R.STARR: Your thought toward Governor Wallace has nothing to do with
the acquisition of Alabama for some parts of Florida has it?
GOVERNOR: No, I have not abandoned my march to the Mississippi, but
haven't pressed it right lately. (laughter)
BOWEN: Well, Governor, do you feel that the victory in Wisconsin was
a 31am to the civil rights bill or do you think that it will change
in any way the civil rights bill now pending in Congress?
GOVERNOR: I would certainly say that it would weaken the ardor or
those who have been fighting so vigorously on the assumption that
everybody in the north wants this program and only we people in the
south are opposed to it. It seems to me that in states such as
Senator Humphrey's state where there are very few race problems because
there are very few racial differences that Senator Humphrey might
awaken to the realization that in spite of that fact there are problems
there which he had not yet conceived.
THURSTON: Wouldn't the Kansas City public accommodations referendum
tend to counter-balance the Hisconsin primary?
GOVERNOR: On the contrary, I felt -- and again I am Just speaking from
newspaper reports, I have no broad knowledge of the situation -- but I
would think that the Kansas City referendum would indicate: here is a
city where they already have a public accommodation bill and the people
have experienced it and only by a very small margin did they favor any
extension of it. And I note that if it had not been for the large
margin that were cast for the proposal from the racial areas or the
community it wouldn't have carried in Kansas City.
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D.STARR: That wasn't a general public accommodations bill either was
it? Wasnt it only limited to certain areas v- it didn't include any
services?
GOVERNOR: I have Just read a very brief news summary, but it seemed to
me that it was considerably more limited than is the federal proposal
and that, therefore, the federal preposal would be less favorably
received than was the Kansas City preposal.
BOWEN: Governor, in other words you were very pleased, very happy at
the outcome of the vote in wisoonsin than?
GOVERNOR: I think it does support the position that we have been
maintaining here in Florida.
HAYES: Governor, there are continuing stories in South Florida news-
papers that the state has sold the people down the river concerning
this recreation bond issue. Would you care to consent on the multiple
use aspect? Was this in the part of the selling of the bond issue?
GOVERNOR: What we are trying to do now -- I am disturbed that this
apparent misunderstanding has arisen. What we are trying to do now is
go back and dig up press conferences and TV releases to ascertain
exactly what the wording was in view of the questions that have arisen.
As far as I am concerned there has never been any misunderstanding or
failure to express how I really felt about it. This is primarily a
recreational bond issue, but in order to get the most for the taxpayer's
dollar we have provided in there that we could go for a multiple use -o
that is to say that as we achieve the recreational values we should
also try to achieve with the same money other values. That was my
position than and now, and I don't really quite understand what the
problem is.
GILLBSPY: Is there any specific project that you know of in the mill
that keeps drawing this criticism where you have multiple use or are
planning multiple use?
GOVERNOR: It seems to me that the Questions arise in the flood control
project or the water management project. I would hope that the people
would realize that the program is in deve10pment. If the peeple in
flood control and water management didn't come forward with their
programs and ask for money, I think they probably would be failing in
their duty. But they are asking for it and their being awarded it
under the authority established under the recreational bond issue are
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quite different things. As you know, as you watch the recreational
-committee, we are going to great pains in the development or the over-
all recreational program, and we are going slowly in the allocation of
even those limited funds that are now available. I think that it is
too early -~ certainly there is no reason why anyone should not express
their opposition to flood control utilization of this money -- but it
is too early to become excited about its use because there has been no
indication of which I know that it wOuld be.
D.STARR: Those questions I heard On it came from Miami and Dade County
and they were complaints that they thought the money was going to be
spent in North Florida and for the Cross Florida Barge Oenal. It
didn't seem to me that the question was that they were opposed to
spending the money but that it was being spent up north?
GOVERNOR: I don't have anything to base this upon at all. In my Judg-
ment the bulk of the money will be spent in South Florida for the very
good reason - two very good reasons: 1. There is where the greater
need is. And, secondly, there is where to satisfy the need costs the
most money. You can buy a lot or land for $1,000 in lots of parts or
North Florida if you want to buy it, where if you tried to buy the
same acreage in South Florida it would cost you many thousands of
dollars. So I think on both those counts undoubtedly the bulk or the
money will be spent in Central and South Florida, and I would say
particularly in South Florida.
GILLESPY: Can you give any indication at all or do you know when the
overall plan will be completed?
GOVERNOR: I don't think it can be completed or any action taken on
it until we have completed litigation to determine how much money is
available. And then having completed the litigation and acquired
some experience in the collection of the tax and then have the fiscal
experts project how much money it will raise. I know I have been
disappointed up to this time as to the amount or money being raised by
the five per cent tax -~ I believe we are getting about 65 to 75
thousand dollars a month. This is far less than was proJected. And
if after the litigation has been concluded this level of revenue is not
raised then we have got a much smaller pregram than was originally
projected.
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GILLESPY: Do you have Just by chance any idea the total amount of
requests up to now -- surely it runs far in excess of any contemplated
bond issue does?
GOVERNOR: I honestly don't know. I do have on my desk and I have had
a chance to look at a list of the pieces of land offered the state
under this program, but I didn't even total that. I really can't tell
you that. Mr. Landrum, I am sure. can give you that information.
BOWEN: Governor, since our last news conference in regard to Mr.
Rorne's statement on the changing of the Development Commission, Mr.
Rorne has come out with a statement that Riedel was in favor pretty
much so and of course Mr. Jarrard wasn't. Have you had any reappraisal?
GOVERNOR: No, I have not reviewed Mr. Horse's proposal in any greater
degree. The essence of what I had to say was that the Development
Commission should not be segmented and the very effective work for
tourism and industrial promotion that has been built there destroyed
without a great deal of thought. At the present time, I am inclined
not to do that.
R.STARR: Governor, yesterday at the Cape we got our Gemini space
program launched. I know you were rather busy, but I am pretty sure
you kept up with it. Do you have any comment on what occurred?
GOVERNOR: Hell, I an real excited about it because that successful
action if it can be followed as I understand it by one more sophisticate
shot will really launch us into the big missile area and are. And
with the big missile era there comes the inevitable peripheral in-
dustrial deveIOpment of Florida which can mean so much to us in the
long run.
R.STARR: Have you been kept advised of this wildcat walk-out down
in Merritt Island by any chance? -
GOVERNOR: Not officially, no. I have had no official word on it
although I expect to hear from Mr. Youngman on it as I do from just
about all of these things at whatever he considers to be an appropriate
time. Are there other questions?
SEVERAL: Thank you, Governor.
covsssos: Thank you.
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., If N" N N, N I4 EVR :I G NrNdNmNrnir N
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irdividuals. Are there other cluestions? ARR: Governor', may I expBnd cri that for just i reporta tnat the Democratic Party Seys they w: he .-louth except [(issimiippi. Dr.. you see in the RNOfi No. First of all, I am not, of course, ete of opinion ira states other ther Florida irl I ,09 rathing in the opinion expt'ensed by the i Eculd change it. As a matter of feet, I woule hing, would moderate the position of the Democa t that it would plake them ever1 more favorably ( h airld viCE VarS9. fiBRI Your t.hou5ht toward Goverrar 'aallace has actiuintlora of Alabama for E.ome parts of Florir RNOR: No, I have not abandoned my mar'ch to the n rt pressel it right lately, (lam3hter) LO 'arill, Goverrair, do you feel that the vicTor em to the civil rit;hts bill er do you think the ny way the civil rights bill row perd1ns in Cor
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GIGLESPY: Do yTu have just by thance any idea the total amount of requests up to now -surely it runs far in excess of any contemplated bond issue does? 03VERNOR: I honestly don't know. I do beve on my desk and I have had a chance to look at a list of the pieces of land offered the state under this program, but I didn't ever. total that. I really can't tell yyu that. [Gr. Landrum, I am sure, can give you that information. BOWEli; Governora since our last news conference in regard tc Mr. Horne is statement on the changing of the Development Commisaian, Mr. Horne has come out with a statement that Riedel was in favor pretty much so and of course Mr. Jarrard -erasn't. Have you had any reappraisal? GOVERNDR: No, I have r.Ot revlewed Mr, Horne 'B proposal in any greater lMeren. The asRenee of i:hnt T had un sav erAs that the Develonment
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