The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1912-08-02
CORRECTION AND REJoINDER
Ocala, Fla, July &c, 1912.
To the Editor Ocala Banner:

We bow appreciatiye acknowledge
ment of your graceful and generous
estimate of our writings, and assure
you we have no disposition to cross
controversial swords with an editor.
He has too great cinch on the come
back feature. This is a matter of ex-
perience as well as observation. How
ever, we ask the privilege TO make
one or two verbal corrections in our
article on THE immortality of I'm
earned Income which you were kind
enough to publish in Thursdays Ban
ner, and to offer a very brief rejoinder
to one or two features of your edi-
torial criticism of our position
l, The correction: Referring to
Mr.. Roberts, the types make me say,
as he has rendered to the state
therefor service which," etc. 1t should
read, las he has rendered to the state
no service" etc.
2. In the last paragraph. the
phrase reading, 'low grade in the ker-
mel of American discomfort" etc,
should read, low growl in the ken
mel, etc
Just a word or two of rejoinder:
l. We arc not comparing present
day political honesty with the brand
Of other years. 1t is quite true that
human nature is about the same in
all ages and we are glad to believe
there is evidence of a tendency to
higher Uplift" Nothing evidences
this more surely than that very word,
graft Its present-day meaning and
emphasis, witnesses to an awakening
and quickening of public conscience.
But there must be more quickening
yet, if, because a man returns money
which he feels he has no right to, he
directs suspicion" to himself, and is
said to be so straight that he leans
Backward" You ask a question;
Why should one man among so many
feel that he is holier than his fell
lows?" The good book addressing
the individual, says; Thou shalt not
follow the multitude to do evil.
Might it not be as pertinent to ask:
Why should any man be accused of
hypocrisy who tries to live a white
life?" Clifford Pinchot claims that
his Washington property is assessed
too low, and insists upon new val
uation that will add 5000 to his tax
es." For this he is, in at least one
prominent paper, editorially charged
with being an eccentric gentleman"
Again, we claim that the accept |
ance of 90 cents a mile, mileage
when the cost is three or four cents, !
does not carry with it the idea that
mileage means "planked steaks at |
$3.50" and private baths at $500
each,' which may occasionally be in |
dulged by some fastidious gourmand. |
But assuming that it did, here are
some figures:
Ocala to Washington, 1000
miles, q zoe. .S2OO.00 |
CREDIT
1000 miles q Sc, (oHtside
price, 80. :. ..............$ 5000 |
Pullman section. ........ 1000
5 meals, planked steaks, etc,
a $500 each. -. ....... 1000 :
Tin TO porter crisp BILL. 100
- hot rOIfa m
$500 each. 500 |
Automobile and dray (no
hackS).. .... .... 0.UO
IS 600
Balance 'legalized graft" $4,000
1t is just such extravaganza of life,
however, higher up, which demands
"planked steaks" etc, that in no
small measure contributes to billion
dollar congresses, and since the mon
ey must come to crafty these inordi-
nate demands, a rotten tariff system
has made greedy trusts possible, and
these in turn are responsible for the
high cost of living For every SEN
steak" at $3.50. or more" there
must be pinched off a wee bit from
the flank steak" of the poor, or in
serted a little more "shoddy" in his
garments for the crisp $1.00 tipped
to mongrel porters.
This word in conclusion: In spite of
your casuistry. Mr.. Editor, in your
concluding reference to sprouting
wings, we do not believe it is "out OF
harmony with the probabilities of
life" for public officials, who value
simple honesty, to fight shy of every
questionable acquisition of public
money. knowing as they do that it
represents in large measure the
CRIME and sweat OF our overburdened
and often underpaid toilers. Perhaps
We should not have applied so harsh |
l. nyAt