The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1908-01-17
OUR PHILOSOPHER AT REDDIcK
New Year ResoIutions-Fences Cost
More Than Stock-Wet and Dry
Election and other News


Special Cor. Ocala Banner:
Christmas has come and gone, and
we are all sober again, and have made
all our new resolutions by which our
conduct is TO be regulated during the
new year-or a part of it-unless We
decide good resolutions are not ne
cessary in our case
Farmers are all busy preparing
their grounds for crops or building
fences. When will the farmers Of Ma
rion county come TO a realization OF
the truth on the fence question? The
fences in this county cost four times
as much as all the COWS, horses and
hogs on the county range. So We pay
one hundred dollars 10 fence against
twenty-five dollars worth Of COWS and
hogs. wouldn't ii be money saved TO
fence only pastures for our stock, and
not fence the farms at all? II you
talk with the farmers from other
states where the no-fence law prevails
you will find that they could never be
persuaded to go back 10 the old style
of farm fences.
But ! suppose that is question Tor
q future generation 10 decide
When John B. Floyd ran for the
legislature on a platform proposing TO
submit the matter 10 a vote OF the
people, the proposition not only re-
suited in his defeat but he said that
at some places the farmers wanted 10
fight him.
Our school teachers who spent the
holidays at their respective homes,
have returned and have the children
hard az work. We were certainly for
tunate in our selection Of teachers for
this term. They seem 70 have a tact
Of getting the boys and girls intense
ly interested in their studies. which
is the greatest qualification Of a sue
cessful teacher. When no patron is
complaining it is evident that there is
no cause for complaint.
at home with their parents.
Several of our old ante-bellum ne
groes have recently died, principally
from old age, their ages ranging from
seventy-five TO ninety years. We re-
gret TO see these old people dying out
so fast They have all been law abid-
ing, industrious people, with due re-
spect for white people, respect for the
laws Of the country, and it is extreme
IL rare for one ID be in a court charg-
ed with any offense whatever. But
few of them are left, and they will
soon be gone.
We bear the hammer of our black
smith. Mr. Tyner, ringing merrily all
day long, which is evidence that he
eats no idle bread. He is well pleas
ed with his location, and our people
are wei pleased with him and his eX-
cellent wife. for they have proved
themselves 10 be live. active. progress
sive people. and enter heartily into
every work or enterprise that has for
its object the moral or social benefit
of our people. We need more like
them.
Mr. CapeI. our section foreman
who was injured while working at
wreck berveen Rochelle and Gaines
vile in December. made a visit TO his
parents at Leroy just before the holi-
days. but is at home again. He had a
very narrow escape from instant
death. being struck by a heavy steel
rail that fell from an upright position
against a car.
Mr.. Robertson, brother-in-law TO Mr.
S. L. Fridy and E. L. Rou. spent sew
eral days last week in Reddick. but
has returned 10 his home in South
Carolina.
We understand our new preacher,
Rev. Sistrunk. will preach here on
Sunday the 18th. Reddick has been
attached 10 the MiCanOpy circuit this
year. and the preacher will reside in
Micanopy.
The local option election Is only
few days of. and the wet" men are
leaving no stone unturned TO secure
the full negro vote. We understand
they have paid the poll tax of every
negro in the county who can vote. So
if the county goes "wet" it will be be-
cause Of the heavy negro vote.
This kind Of work reminds us of
the days Of the Carpet-bagger, when
the object was to array the blacks
against the whites in order TO put the
state government in the hands of the
carpet Dagger, and with what result
we all know. One thing every voter
should remember, and that is if your
precinct goes wet" and the county
goes wet" il means there will be a
saloon in your precinct Hundreds of
saloon men from other states where