The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1911-05-15
IMPROVEMENT Of 0CHA

vote for bonds tomorrow Is a vote
for the Improvement OF Ocala. II Is
we'll known - every citizen how much
the city nedS 4 larger supply OF better
water, and il il time they also realized
the only way 10 fill this much fell
want i TO issue bonds
{ 1t i no objection 10 the plan that
the city must go in debt. Assuming
debt i the only way improvements are
made in these days. Formerly aque-
! duets. roads and other public works
were built by rounding the people u
/ in gangs 10 DO the work unpaid. or
taxing them TO the point Of starvation.
/ This, luckily for the people. cannot he
done now. The up-to-dare way OF
making improvements i 70 obtain the
money by issuing bonds and have the
+ use Of the improvements while the
debt i being paid All the world is in
debt. all the world lives on credit
and yet the world lives better than il
ever lived before.
I But going in debt 10 build a public
utility like water works is not assum-
ing a burden but obtaining benefit
If the city owns the water works. they
viii pay for themselves and meantime
give the citizens better water and
more Of il for less money.
Ownership are played out. All over
the United States. the cities are buy
ing or building their own water ana
lighting plants. and everywhere i'm
proving them. 1t i true that once in
awhile there is case of graft and in
competency. but on the other hand
There is, everywhere that municipal
Ownership does not prevail. complaint
of nigh rates and poor service. Two
or three years ago, there was a dis
pute about the difference in the water
supply Of Jacksonville and Tampa. The
former city owns its water works
the latter doesn't. II was conclusive
~ shown that the people of Jackson
willie were far more generously sup
piled with water than those OF Tampa
Iat a much less coSt-alSo, that Jack
sonville's water works were paying
for themselves and tightening the 9TH
: er burdens of the taxpayer, instead OF
{ adding to them.
We have an example right here in
Ocala. The city bought the electric
! light plant a number of years ago. The
t plant has been efficiently and econom-
ically run. 1t has given general salts
faction; ii is paying for itself. and the
day IS not far distant when the rate:
? can be reduced and there will be suf
ficient revenue left over expenses 4
help pay the other obligations of IN,
4 city. All that is said of the electri,
r light plant can be said in create,
measure of public owned water works
1t would be. among other benefits,
. very great advantage for this city I,
: own a large. up-to-date water plant
Every one knows. and If he doesn'
know, any travelling man can tell him
= how Ocala water i criticised abroad
n 1t receives criticism is does not de
serve, for while the water Is hard IL Il
pure. and that it agrees with all bu
p a few, the. general health of the cit!
e will testify. But some one says "ba,
water" without stopping TO specify
and the bad impression is given am
n carried on. There Is a good way I,
|. remove it. and that Is TO issue bond
for the city TO own its water works.
There Is no argument against iSsu
a ing the bonds any more than there /
: argument against business man Dor
rowing money 10 build a new store. o
buying goods on time. or a syndicat
a borrowing to build railroad. or eve
n an ordinary citizen having good
charged. 1t j. diamonds to dollars tina
the present water works We're bull
with borrowed money. and its dollar
TO doughnuts that they have paid 70
themselves.
Jacksonville owns its water work:
1. Jacksonville peoule have the use q
n twice or three times the water Deal
people have, for less money; and Jack
SOnville people have never felt the tax
p alton for water. The same can be sal
L. of hundreds of other cities. Let Deal
join the procession of progress. Vot
bonds tnmnrrnW ne
m or be sorry. Vote against them, I
IT continue the present system. and 20
Nill he sorry. and sorrier every day