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There probably aren’t many people in Florida politics, or working around the state Capitol, who remember Dick Stone, who died last weekend at the age of 90.
He came along at a pivotal time for state government, part of an urban new breed that finally dislodged the last vestiges of the old “Pork Chop Gang” that ruled a malapportioned state legislature for a century or so. He had both the good fortune to ride the crest of one political tide into power, only to wash out when the current shifted.
Educated at Harvard and Columbia Law School, Stone was Miami’s city attorney when courts forced the state to draw somewhat sensible legislative districts. He took his seat in the Florida Senate in 1967, just as government reorganization was taking root and such innovations as annual sessions (instead of every-other-year meetings) were catching on.
The modern, new, 48-member Senate even saw an increase in legislative salaries from $1,200 to $12,000 a year. No, that’s not a type-0. Lawmakers also started getting full-time aides and suitable offices.
More from Bill Cotterell:
Republican Gov. Claude R. Kirk Jr. tried to veto the pay raise and memorably denounced the House and Senate Office Buildings as “princely and ponderous palaces for political potentates.” (Tallahassee Democrat editor Malcolm Johnson, a tireless civic booster, hated that bit of alliteration, fearing it would stick to our 22-story highrise Capitol.)
Well, 50 years later, I just used it. But Malcolm would be glad to know you don’t hear it much any more.
Anyway, Stone was elected secretary of state, which was then a statewide elected Cabinet office. State Sen. Reubin Askew of Pensacola had tapped the incumbent secretary, Tom Adams, as his running mate in 1970 and Stone won the post in a time when Democrats ran everything.
He championed open government, as a legislator and Cabinet member. Stone physically removed doors from his office suite in what we now call the Historic Capitol, and tourists could wander through to see him and his staff at work. Of course, there were secure areas where legally confidential papers were kept, but Stone set an example that open government is an attitude – if you wanted a document, and it wasn’t exempt under public-records laws, he’d just hand it to you.
What a concept. We even made fun of it in the Capitol Press Corps skits one year, openness was so new and novel.
It should be noted that Attorney General Bob Shevin, another Miami senator elected in 1970, was a “sunshine freak.” Askew also believed in openness.
It’s not like that now.
Florida had its first presidential primary of modern times in 1972 and Stone dutifully solicited ballot recommendations from everybody — really, everybody. Supporters of Alabama Gov. George C. Wallace suspected the Democratic Party would find a way to block him, but Stone welcomed a few of them into his door-less office to watch him issue the final decision on who was on the ballot.
Stone also devoted himself to cleaning up the Miami River and Tallahassee’s Cascades area. He even took a swim in the river when it reached a safe state.
In 1974, Republican U.S. Sen. Ed Gurney had a bit of grand jury trouble, and wasn’t exactly distinguishing himself on the Senate Watergate committee, so he didn’t seek a second term. Gurney’s troubles and the resignation of Richard Nixon that summer made the climate perfect for Democrats, and Stone won an 11-candidate primary for the Senate seat and pretty much coasted to victory in November.
Stone narrowly edged former U.S. Rep. Bill Gunter in the 1974 Democratic runoff but – this being Florida, where weird is normal – Gunter came back six years later and beat him in the 1980 primaries. Stone was hurt by support for the Panama Canal treaties, which the Senate had ratified for Jimmy Carter, who was beaten by Ronald Reagan that year.
Democrats lost Senate seats all over the South – Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, Florida – in the Reagan rout.
Reagan appointed Stone ambassador at large for Central America, and President George H.W. Bush named him ambassador to Denmark.
Sadly, Stone was the last surviving member of the new crew elected in that pivotal 1970 campaign. Askew and the five Cabinet officers who served with Stone all died in recent years.
Bill Cotterell is a retired Tallahassee Democrat Capitol reporter who writes a twice-weekly column. He can be reached at bcotterell@tallahassee.com.