The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1911-06-30
A MONUMENT PROPOSED TO MR..
BlTTINGER

The loving and grateful remem-
brance in which the living hold the
dead teaches us the lesson of cher
rishing the shining virtues that lead
men on and up. The concrete or
tangible expression of this remem-
! brance is found in Atlanta through
the monument erected to that sweet
| prophet of peace, Henry w Grady,
who was one of the beloved editors
great editor Horace Greedy, and the
great publicist, Peter Cooper, call to
the mind of the visitor to New York
that even in that busy mart of trade,
no neglect can be afforded as TO the
pointed recognition of those who pro-
NOTED the welfare of the people of
that great center Indeed monuments
tell something and do that silently
and powerfully in the minds of those
that behold them that pen has
never yet found language to describe,
which in so small a way show the
appreciation of the living for the
dead, help the good deeds of men to
live on and teach right on for the
| good of humanity. In view of these
| facts | propose monument to be
| placed at some appropriate place,
the selection of the monument and
MI Of To no in, ho
hands of committee appointed for
that purpose, this in the name of the
| beloved late editor of the Evening
Star, Charles L. Bittinger, who was
all sunshine and love and who idoliz-
ed Florida and her people from the
| first day he took up his pen to picture
| their resources and virtues and to
become one of them in heart and soul
and body. Like the editor of the
Banner, Mr. Bittinger was a pro-
moter of progress and the sweeter
understanding OF man to man that
peace might abound. Together day
by day this colleague with you has
brought forth the best to advance our
| commonwealth. He has writ a les
son in our hearts that l believe
should be given expression l be-
lieve the citizens of Ocala and our
county and the editors of the state
and others who valued the man will
| join in this matter by contributing
| literally to this cause I believe the
subscription will be large and forth
coming when called for
Had the death angel called the
editor of the Banner first, | am sure
that c. L. Bittinger would have heart
lily endorsed the plan of erecting a
monument that would be expressive
of the love and appreciation in which
you are held by all classes. How
ever, do not mean to make any argu-
ment for | know that you were like
Damon and Pythias in your great
work, and that you feel with all, most
| deeply his loss as was so charmingly
and pathetically told in the great
tribute to his memory in your valued
| columns. AS he was buried beneath
the summer sunshine of Florida and
was hidden from the people he loved
felt with many others that the
great loss. illustrated by the wilder
ness of flowers and tear bedimmed
eyes, was told by the poet, Thomas
| Moore,
Let fate do her worst, there are
relics of joy,
Bright dreams of the past which
she can not destroy,
Which came in the nighttime of sor-
row and care
And bringing back the features
that Joy used to wear.
Long, long be my heart with such
memories filled,
Like the vase in which roses have
once been distilled,
You may break, you may shatter
the vase, if you will
But the scent of the roses will
cling to it still.
If the suggestion of erecting this
monument meets with your favor and
the generous public. that you both
served with two clean splendidly
progressive papers, l have some
other suggestions to make as to
what | consider the best method to
accomplish the desired end Yet /
am like others, ready to join in
forces that have any available plan,
to show that We are appreciative of
our departed friend who was a man
of great worth.
Respectfully,
j. T. LANCASTER.