The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1908-01-18
LOOK BEFORE YOU LEAP
~O-ltinued from First Page)

permitting saloons collects q tax Of
$3.50 from each saloon (Or at least Ma
rion county does) which would make
state, county and city taxes run to
about $362.5OO or to far exceed a quar-
ter OF a million dollars. This amount
is for the state and several counties.
Now. lets get TO the condition Of
our own county. the principal and BAN
ner county Of the state. Marion. While
the amount we collect is not near as
large as that from Dade. Duval. Es-
Gambia Hillsborough. Monroe, etc,
yet lets see IL We are willing to go
down into our pockets and make good
vote out OF the treasury Of this coun-
ty. which we know we would have to
do. as there is no surplus and the new
courthouse to pay for. The county
proper collects from the saloons of
this county $500 per year special tax
good? think not. Where is a man who
Is so anxious to have his taxes raised ?
Price of Prohibition
Now think for one moment. When
you vote dry ticket you vote to raise
county taxes proper. $500. as we
know this amount must be made good
to say nothing OF the state taxes.
Now lets see about Ocala and Dun
Mellon. Ocala collects a city tax from
her saloons Of $1,75O. This amount
goes into the city treasury. and is
used as the city's funds. Do the tax
payers Of Ocala wish to have their
taxes increased sufficient to make this
$1,75O good, besides putting seven firms
out of business?
When you take business away from
a city, town or county, you certainly
paralyze the prosperity Of that city
town or county to a very large extent
besides putting a number of citizens
out Of employment who have familie:
to care for and support. 1t seems t.
us, that at the present rate Of i'm.
provements and under the present fl
nancial strain, that it is we'll to lie
well enough alone.
| Now lets think for just a momen
here. Shall we vote this much legi-
innate business out and vote to vacat'
city buildings and to be the means O
moving law abiding citizens ava,
from Ocala to seek other fields Of la
Dor?
| Now lets take Dunnellon: She col
Iects from her saloons $500 per yea
city tax. These saloons do their bank
ing at the Dunnellon Bank. The ma
jority Of them rent their building
from Dunnellon property owners, and
as in Ocala, they are each of then
good law abiding citizens, and con
tribute to the business interest anC
needs Of the city and county, the SAINT
as other citizens do. Now do thu
citizens there wish to vote these mel
out Of business and increase thei
taxes $500 per year, and at the SAM
time vacate six buildings?
| You might just as we'll vote out tn
candy shop. cold drink stand or con
|
a necessity for the public good thai
saloon. We are in favor Of keepin,
all Of them and encouraging bushes
generally.
License System is the Best Method o
| Control
BY the handling Of intoxicants unde
the license system. the authorities ar
enabled to legitimately control tn
business. When you take from on
lyo2 add to another. Take away from
saloons and add tigers and Illicit stills
where boys can visit without being de
ltected. Take away from the salool
and add to the already fast growing
cocaine habit among both the colore
and white classes. Take Marion coun
ty today, and she has a smaller pc
cent Of crime than any other count
in the state, according to the publ
works and the amount Of transfer
labor she employs to carry them or
and 1t seems to us that the temperate
workers are striking at the wrong EN-
OF the proposition.
! No Man 10 Compelled to Drink
! We are all free agents for ourselves
and unless we go into a saloon am
drink whisky of our own accord w
will not get drunk. but If a man volun
tariIy walks into a saloon and drink