The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1905-06-23
ANOTHER man AGIx' EN-.
Concerning Doaes-Sevsssl Reasons
Why We $heuDd Net Nave Them.


Having been requested by a lead
ing cit. zen of Marion county to write
m article for publication in regard to
the question of issuing bonds to raise
funds to pay for enlarging the court
house at Ocala and to give my rea-
SONS for opposing the bonding of the
county for that purpose, I ask that
you give me space in your paper to
say a few words in regard to the
above named measure.
There are several reasons why /
am opposed to bonding the county
for the purpose above named. We
have managed to make out with the
court house as it is for a number of
years and can do SO longer if need
be, and then we will have to pay SO
much, with bonds $31, 900 interest for
the use of $4,000, is, according to
my way of thinking, large amount
of interest to have to pay. For me
to pay 81 cents and only get so cents
worth of goods, is to my notion, pay
ing dear for the whistle, especially
if 1 buy something could do with
out.
Another reason why 1 oppose this
issue of bonds in question is that
l believe it will be but the entering
wedge to be used as plea for more
bonds in the future. Get one cleo
ton in favor of bonds and ere long 1
fear that there will be more improve
ments needed so badly that the dear
people will be asked for another is
sue of bonds to make them, and it
will be great deal larger one next
time. 1 base this opinion upon what
has transpired elsewhere. Take for
example, the county of Duvaa. Not
withstanding the fact that it has al
ready bonded Indebtedness of $780,
600 there was an effort made in the
last legislature to create board of
bond commissioners with power to
recommend the additional amount of
Soc, 900 worth of bonds to be issued,
if in their judgment it were needed
for the improvement of roads in the
county and to pledge all the taxable
property in the county for the pay
ment of the bonds. So you can see
to what extent the sentiment in favor
of bonding for fancied improvements
sometimes reaches, and there are
those in the said county anxious to
Issue bonds for educational purposes
also.
Another reason is that in some
cases it}engenders ill feelings among
the citizens oil a county, as has been
the case in Hillsborough county where
it led to series of litigations in the
courts and the past grand jury was
anxious to know what had become of
the money obtained from the sale of
$4OO, 200 worth of bonds that had
beeu ordered to be issued.
Another reason l offer is that l am
opposed to an interest bearing debt
for the coming generation to have
to pay and my vote will never help TO
create a bonded Indebtedness for my
children TO pay when 1 am dead.
Besides. the prese condition of
the county is, believe, as good or
better able To pay her debts, as it
viii. be twenty years hence, for then
timber and turpentine Will have be-
come scarce in this country and no
doubt much OF The land now being
used for those purposes Will have
gone TO the state for taxes ana almost
in worthless condition.
For another reason, / have 10 as
surance that an addition to the pres
ent court house will give satisfaction
case with the present one it was
praised and considered all right at
first but in few years other counties
built more costly ones and ever since
the cry has been given for a larger,