The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1910-02-24
ISN'T HE A WALKING DELEGATE

That somewhat amusing but rather
fatiguing person, "Laborer,' filled up
another column in the Banner this
morning with a string Of assertions
that would be funny If they were
not tiresome.
His statement that the Star rushes
to the defense of the Payne tariff is
proven untrue by the article he quotes.
let alone the files of the paper pub
lished since the measure took form.
We do not remember any severe
depression of business in 1896. There
was a very severe one commencing in
1898 and felt by Florida along with
all the rest Of the country until the
stimulus given to business by the
Spanish American war in 1898. To
say the conditions in Ocala and else
where in the state were caused solely
by the big freeze Of '95 is enough to
make any business man who can re-
member that time feel weary. The
business depression of all the rest Of
the United States was very sensibly
felt in Florida in the low price Of or
anges and other products. in the
scarcity Of tourists, in the difficulty to
obtain Northern capital, and many
other ways. The big freeze capped
the climax, but the climax was al
ready there.
The election Of 1896 created a slim
illus to business. but it was a slim
ulus that did not begin TO be felt for
some time after In fact. it is we'll
known that 1897 was one of the hard
est years in the entire period of de-
preston. A number Of banks that
had stood through four years Of dull
times went under Gone of them right
here in OcalaJ, great many indus
tries started up, only to shut down
again, and it wasn't until the war with
Spain caused the government to pu,
an immense amount of money in cir
culation that returning prosperity
really begun to be felt
Why wouldn't Canadian lumber
compete with Florida lumber if il
came in duty free? A car of lumber
can come to Florida from Canada 70,
very little more than it can come tC
St. Louis or New York. Beside. if the
lumber industry in the northern ant
western states is crippled or killed
Florida is bound to feel it. We al
ways feel anything that decrease:
prosperity, in anv other part of the
country, because a large proportion O.
what we raise to sell is only Dough
by comparatively prosperous people.
'Iaborer" has forgotten. if he evel
knew. that large quantity of Florida
lumber is sent to other states. SchOOn
or loads of it leave our seapOrtS every
day. If it met cheaper Canadian lum
Der in the northern ports. why should
not the sawmills at home be effected
The regular daily news of the stat
shows that timber lands wheneve
sold are bringing a good price. Almos
every such transaction carries with i
IF 70 M
dollars up to a quarter of million
Maybe their price twelve years ag
was affected by the EZRA of bushes
activity" that existed just them
"Laborer's" mind.
We haven't heard that our senator
and representatives fought the Den
Yer platform in 1908. And we hav
never understood the Democrat
party to be a free trade party. l
the democrats had been successful
and framed the new tariff, it woul
have been the duty of Florida's rep
resentatives in Congress to keep an
Florida industry from being ruined
That is one of the things they ar
there for. When our people are pay
ing high prices for everything the
buy, it would be silly patriotism t
knock the props from under what the
have to sell.
"Laborers" statement that 9TH
Star makes the usual plea Of the pro
tectionist: L need it; the other felON
doesn't; if any stealing is going on
want my share, is not only silly bu
untrue.
"Laborer' may sign himself La
borer" but if there is anything i
style. he writes more like walkin
delegate.