The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1909-12-24
REPLY TO TIMEs-uNIoN's Ed
ToRIAL

He said at first that we could all play
ON Sunday; then he said that the boys
who played keeping bar could not
play on Sunday, and nearly everybody
said that that was right, but now he
won't let Duval or Dixie play on Sun
day, and we are all mad about it, and
won't play at ALL"
So the mayor has done the acrobat
ic stunt and reversed himself. Isn't |
it just awful? He has actually called |
the attention of the chief of police to
certain things which are considered !
misunderstanding and unlawful. What |
an objectionable sin! File, fe! Mr..
Jordan, aren't you ashamed to shut up
the innocent play house? Didn't you
hear what the Times-Uni said?
Don't you know that the theatrical
companies own more property in Jack
sonville than all the preachers put
together?
But, oh! Mr.. Mayor, don't shut up
the undertaker's shop on Sunday, for
perhaps the merciless reporter, see
ing that the undertaker's parlors are
such a gay place, he might want to go
with the Times-Union force and
lspend Sunday afternoons there, after
the theaters are closed; and don't
Mr.. Mayor, shut up the garages, for
some young fellow might want to get
a machine and take his best girl out
for Sunday ride. -",~
But say, Times-Union, honest,
where do you go to find your compar-
ison, when you compare the theater
with stables, garages and railway and
steamboat offices and undertakers'
shops. 1t must be that you are TAX
ing it straight, and the kind that has
-four snakes to each ounce. Did it ev-
er occur to the Times-Union that
there are those in Jacksonville who
do own some property, even if the the
aters do own more than the preachers,
who oppose Sunday theaters, and that
they are entitled to some considera-
ton? If the theaters are so innocent,
how is It that there is a case pending
h the criminal court to decide the le-
gality of Sunday opening? Who is it
that you are discriminating in favor
/, of, Mr.. Jordan?
What kind of a howl would the
Times-Union set up if all the farmers
were to hitch up their horses and go
to blowing on Sunday? Or if all the
, stores in the city were to open for
business on Sunday?
n And now comes the Times-Union of
December 18th, and states that the
a itinerant preachers still have no prop
+ erty in the city of Jacksonville, and
I that most Of them are not registered
q voters, and have no interest in that
o fiourishing city except to haze the
n people into the church, and that the
q church idea has penetrated as far as
r Kings road. Verify, old boy, it's
Z spreading, and you had better watch
!. your play houses and swill shops, Oh
o these penniless preachers and some
of these foolish people who are aiding
n them may seriously interfere with
# your harmless amusements."
n NO interest in Jacksonville" Say
, old man, what constitutes interest
II And what constitutes prosperity in {
I city? Is its prosperity always meas
= ured by dollars? Now, don't you thinl
10 that it would add something to the
% prosperity of your city if you could of
II fer greater security to life and prop
IS erty? And how better can you do tina
"A than by upholding law and order
Don't you remember. sweet Times-Un
10 ion, that only a few weeks ago a maj
8 was murdered in his bed and robbed
N And that is not the only case of
y similar kind that has happened there
10 right in your most prosperous, rapid,
growing. highly moral CD, wholly civ
ilized city of Jacksonville That tn
murderer was caught is cOmmendable
ia but it did not bring the man back t.
), life, nor does it prove that there vii
be no more such murders. Don't yO1
a think, Times Union. that it is time 70
as you to uphold the churches and thei
n doctrines for a while, and let Mayo
g Jordan and the city council, with tn
al police department look after the Sur
IL day closing of such places as seen
" best for the good of the city? Do yo
nv think the city would go into the hand
a of a receiver if these play houses wer
at closed?
DIX If you people would pay you
IL preachers a sufficient salary it Nigh
es be that in after years you could no
rs taunt them with their lack of propert.
is interests in your city. Maybe the,
by would become citizens and real estat