The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1906-03-23
Mr.. sPARkMAN TO HAVE oPPo-
SITiON.

that Hon. Park TrammPll Of Lakeland
will oppose Hon. Stephen NJ. Spark
man for congress in the coming pri
mary.
If Mr.. Trammell will announce as the
chief plank of his platform that he
fayors federal aid for the construction
of national highways, he will make
the race an interesting one.
Rivers flowing from the mountains
to the sea are deepened by appropria-
tions from the national treasury and
harbors have received the fostering
care of the national government.
Why is a river of more Importance
than a highway? Why should the sea
coast receive the special bounty of
government and all the land stretch
ing from sea to sea, teeming with
great population and industries that
have made the nation what it is, re-
ceive no bounty at all?
If the same amount of money had
been expended for the construction of
good roads that has been expended on
rivers and harbors and in building
battleships, we would have national
highways ramifying all sections of the
country and 1t would be possible to
travel with convenience from New
York to San Francisco and from Seat
tie to Tampa.
The United States today would be
the most delightful land under the
sun. 1t would be next heaven, whose
streets. we are told, are paved with
gold.
The construction of good roads is
in the direction of peace, and why not
build for peace the same as for war?
Good roads will certainly contribute
to the wealth and happiness of the
country more than battleships, so why
do our statesmen drain the national
treasury for the building of the one
and turn their backs resolutely against
the other?
Why do they contend that the deep
ening Of a river and the deepening of
a harbor Is authorized by the con-
stitution and the construction of a
highway is prohibited by it?
National highways will benefit a
larger population and it's benefits will
be more directly felt by the people
and will more largely contribute to
the trade, traffic, death and glory of
the country.
The interior section has been neg
lected long enough and if Mr.. Tram
NELL will make this matter the chief
plank in his platform and make it
plain to the people he will be no less
astonished than his opponent at the
enormous vote he will poll.
Why. the interior has been so long
neglected that one of the newspapers
printed in one of the seaports of the
state had the temerity, not long ago
to ask, what does Ocala want with a
public building. anyhow?
The seaport cities have been so long
the wards of the government that they
begin actually to believe that the in
terror has no rights whatever and that
the federal treasury belongs to them
wholly.
The time has now come when the
interior is going to make its demands
on the general government. 1t will
demand federal aid for the construc-
ton of good roods. 1t will demand APP
preparations for the construction of
public buildings. postoffices, custom
houses. court houses and land offices.
The great interior feels that the
time is ripe for an equal distribution
of federal aid and is going to demand
her full rights and make a contention
for all that belongs to her.
make a hot, stirring and interesting
campaign.
The voters of the interior will lis
ten gladly to a message such as we
have outlined above. .
If Mr.. Trammell is wise he viii.
seize upon this opportunity and make
it blossom and ripen into rich fruit.