The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1894-08-03
Mr.. LIGHT on FINANCES.

cratic rule, and then comparisons
since that time TO date.
If things had stood still, If the pop
uIati0n had remained stationery.
these comparisons would show badly
for those in charge of the administers
ton of affairs, but we have witnessed
radical changes during the years
enumerated BY Mr.. Light. Civiliza-
ton is a costly luxury and the higher
we reach upward ia its stages the
more costly we shah find it. The only
way to do away With taxation is to do
away with our civilization.
The editor Of this paper has but re-
Gently returned from trip to South
Florida where reside the Seminole In
dians; they number about four hum
dred; they squat on the unsurveyed
lands Of the government and live a
life of comparative ease. They are
athletic. hardy and a strictly yirtuous
race. They have no court houses, no
jails, no asylums, no churches, no
schools, no public roads, no lawyers,
no editors, no hungry officials, and
pay absolutely no taxes. Now, the
only way to get rid of taxation, tina
we can see, is to become like them.
But as long as we keepupo our system of
civilization, as long as we build court
houses and jails and asylums, as long
as we maintain our churches and pay
our preachers, as long as our popula-
ton increases and the bent of human
nature aud our laws multiply
crime we must expect higher taxes,
it matters not what party is in con-
tr
When the democrats obtained to
power in Marion county the white
school in Ocala numbered about
twenty scholars and the teacher re-
ceived salary of about twenty-five
dollars q month. Now the school
numbers four hundred and fifty schol-
arr, corps of twelve teachers is ne
cessary and a school building costing
ten thousand dollars has been erected,
all Of which have been done by taxa
ton. We have, in the meantime,
built brick court house and brick
Jail, our population has grown from
three hundred TO six thousand, and
the population of the county has
grown almost in proportion to the
town. From strictly agricultural pur-
suits, which in all:countries are quiet
aud peaceful, mining has become
our chief industry, which necessitatcs
the congregation of large bodies of ig-
norant men, and as in all mining
countries, crime has largely increased,
and TO punish which the courts must
be kept busy, and the taxpayers, of
necessity, must foot the bills. There
is no way of getting around it, no way
of l. ssening it, unless we take no no.
tice of crimes made crimes by statu-
tory enactments and only punish
crimes per Sc, and to undertake which
the moral sentiment of the people
would be aroused against it. $50 under
whatever administration we live we
have got to 60 on as we are.
Another source of increase in taxa
ton are our road laws. In former
times all male inhabitants between
certain years were compelled to work
the roads so many days in the year.
Now the working of the roads is
thrown upon the property holders, and
this seems to us fair. Good roads inn
prove property and it seems just that
property should pay for this improve
ment.
Whatever sins have been charged
against the democratic party in Flor
ida, embezzlement, the misapplication
or the transportation of funds, are
not charged against her officials. In
matters of finance they have been
strictly honest. In other southern
states the treasurers have skipped
with the funds, but the climate of
Florida has produced no such inclina-
ton on the part of her treasurers and
without exception they have shown
clean balance sheets. And the same
rigid honesty has prevailed in every
county of the state. The funds have
not been squandered but have been
appropriated to their proper purposes.
The pay of the armory for the sol
diers and the erection of the semi
tropical building are the only things
upon which there are points of disa-
greement. Ours is government of
majorities and the erection of the
semi-tropical building was authorized
by a petition signed by a majority of
the taxpayers of the county and q
large majority of whom still feel sat
isfied that it was splendid paying in
v,stment in that il gave OcaIa start
at an opportune time, attracted new
settlers TO the county and from time
to time developed new industries, and
the money for which has been re-
turned in many ways many times
over; and majority of our people
likewise believe that in preventing
disturbances and costly riots the
money appropriated for the mainte-
nance of the soldiery, which is small,
is well spent.
We are sincerely in favor of rail-
road commission, change in the
election laws, and such other reforms
as win be of benefit to the people and
we invite Dir. Light to join with us in
bringing them about.
Rubbing it In.
When some of the present leaders
4 - - = A..