The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1897-07-07
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
This New and Interesting Body of
Men Close an Important and
Lengthy Session Little
Work But Much Wind.

Tuesday was big day before
the commissioners. The ball
opened carly. Editor Harris
SHE'D his oratorical caster into
the arena and had a vigorous
wind mill tilt. He spoke with in
tense feeling. In substance he
repeated what has appeared in
his paper on the action of the
old board of county commissioners
in regard to letting publication of
delinquent tax list to the Evening
Star.
He referred to the contest over
appointment of the commission
ers, his visit to Tallahassee. and
finding Geo. w. Wilson's letter
there, saying Frank Harris must
be downed and wanted to know
if Geo. Wilson or the Marion
county democratic executive COM
mittee, who created the county
commissioners, should rule Ma
rion county. He had heard Bry-
an while in Tallahassee and with
him believed only those who sub
scribed to the Chicago platform
and were faithful to it's teaching
should receive the spoils of office,
ie., he having been faithful,
should receive the tax plum. He
read what the county executive
committee had instructed the
county commissioners to do and
as the creators of that body, to
obey it's behests also to keep the
tax books open until September.
He was sorely grieved to think
the old board had gone back on
the Banner and Free Press prop
osition when inferentially they
reached the taxpayers Of the
county, while the Evening Star
had only a few readers and hence
interested parties would never
know when their lands were be-
ing sold. A stranger listening to
Mr.. H., would have judged him
the most unselfish of men and the
purest of patriots, only thinking
of the interests of the dear people.
He insisted the board should re-
scind the former order, as the
county executive committee had
SO ordered it and because they
recommended you as commits
sioners.
Commissioner Chitty replied:
said he had ever been friend OF
Harris, had taken his paper,
supported him, voted to give him
the tax list, which he had all
these years and now because he
(Chitty) had seen fit to give the
printing to another paper, be-
cause he believed in distributing
such patronage and not make
monopoly of it. Mr.. Harris had
gone out of the way and misrepre-
sented and cast reflections on his
official acts. Circulation cut no
figure in this matter, nor did the
Banner begin to reach all the
people. He had done his duty as
he understood it, obeyed the law
and would let time pass Judge
ment in his acts.
Mr.. Chitty denied that he had
ever been approached or communi
Gated with or influenced by any
word or act of Geo. Wilson ano
in fact knew nothing of the letter
spoken of by Mr.. Harris to which
! the latter replied, "You must
have known it, for did l not pub.
lish it in my paper?" Mr.. Aller
made the same denial as to being
Influenced by Wilson.
Mr.. Harris further insisted the
Banner and Free Press were the
only papers making a proposition
to send copy containing tax lls1
to every Taxpayer, to which Mr.
Chitty replied that these papers
had never made such a PROPOSE
ton before, only made 1t whel
they found out the Star had done
so.
Mr.. Zewadski told the board O