The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1910-05-26
ONLY ONE VITAL ISSUE
shall Marion County's Representatives
In the Legislature Support the
Amendment or Not

| There seems to be a misunderstand-
ing in certain localities in Marion
county as TO how some of the candi-
dates for the legislature to be voted
on in the coming primary, June eth.
stand on the main, and really the only
opeen political issue in both county
and state. That is the adoption of the
amendment to the nineteenth article
of the constitution
The other questions are minor is
sues, such as the no fence law. con-
vict lease system, etc. These are of
| small moment when compared with
what it means to our great state TO
adopt or reject the amendment now
being submitted to our people. There
! is no way to compute the splendid re-
suits that would follow in the moral
lupbuilding, which means betterment
| of every interest, commercial or 9TH
erwise in our county and state for
time and eternity. Or the harm and
! injury that would be done and results
| felt for generations to come il we re-
ject the amendment
Some Of our candidates for the legis-
lature are trying to belittle the issue
and mislead the people as to its i'm
portance. The smaller issues are
forced forward so as to becloud and
Isidetrack the one fact that the fight
now on in our county means saloon or
| no saloon.
| Two years ago we made an effort to
dethrone alcohol and its attendant
evils in our county. The matter was
voted upon not only by the democrats
Of our county, but by all citizens Of
every political faith. The negroes
held the balance of power and voted
a
this matter been submitted to the
white people only, Marion county
would now be in the dry column.
When two of our candidates make
, much ado about submitting this mat
| ter as a democratic principle in the
form of local option it is just simply a
fraud. For they would not dare to
submit this question on its merits to
the white voters only. To do so would
mean certain defeat to the saloon in
| terests.
Therefore we are now living under
a law and condition forced upon us by
| ignorance and unprincipled manhood
| of the negro, voted and manipulated
by an unprincipled interest.
The whisky men of the county and
state now read the handwriting on the
wall. Fearing the clearing out of the
| whisky from the whole state they are
now fighting for the retention of the
heretofore very Objectionable local op-
| tion law. This local option law now
permits the few wet counties in the
| state not only to monopoliZe the liquor
business Of Florida. but to furnish dis
tributing centers from which to flood
the dry territory of other states.
| Hence it is no wonder the whisky
interest is putting up money TO buy
what brains they can to be used in the
next legislature to stem the current Of
the great tidal wave of temperance.
even after the people have passed
upon 1t.
This line has been definitely drawn
| in county by the wet men, And
why not the moral, temperance peo-
pie of Marion county show their col
ors and stand by the two candidates,
Phillips and Light, who are opposed to
institution.
Do not be fooled by the wet men,
| who say this issue is not TO be made
now. but in the November election.
The fight is on right now. II a wet
Legislature should be elected and the
amendment adopted this fall, the wet
Legislature would annul and render
the amendment useless by Intellectual
laws. Every good, strong and brave
facts and when they know them Ma
rion county can safely entrust her
destiny in their hands. adv.