The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1913-11-25
domestic }
HE Is OUR ONLY HOPE (?1


ter which in substance informs US
that our present mayor, Mr.. John D.
Robertson is our city's only hope OF
municipal salvation. According 10
Nr. Spencer. Mr.. Robertson is the
Horatius at the bridge, fiourishing
the sword OF his veto in the faces of
the aldermanic Vandals, who other
wise would sack and loot our fair
city and cruelty poor Mr.. Common
People on a telephone pole. Come
10 think OF it, it was the Latins and
not the Vandals that Horatius de-
fed, but Mr.. Spencer is a thousand
years off in his facts, so we may be
excused for being a thousand years
Off in our history.
Mr.. Spencer's argument, as is al
ways the case with him, is eloquent
and admirably calculated 10 impress
anyone who didn't know any better.
We do not blame him in the least for
this. He is a lawyer arguing for his
client. and could and would argue
just as we'll for any other person. He
could argue better for some, for he
would have more truth to use as a
basis.
According to Mr.. Spencer, but for
the Spartan, or was it Roman, atti
tude of the mayor, the council would
have bought the waterworks for
SOS, 900, instead of $4,000, and
roS ~
worth of bonds instead of 900
and (this is not stated, but only very
broadly inferred) converted the sur
plus coin to its own deep, dark and
devious uses.
Now, mark edwin how plain
tale will put you down"
The value of the waterworks was
set at S68,000 by board of arbitra-
ton, which was as fair a board as is
possible to obtain. The council con-
sidered the price and refused to pay
it With its refusal, the mayor had
no more to do than any other citizen.
IL the council had been out for a
graft. it could have accepted the val
uation and bought the waterworks
in spite of anything the mayor or
anyone else in the city could do. It
had the power, conferred on it by
the charter.
Further negotiations went on be-
tween the water company and the
council. The council finally bought
the waterworks at $4,000. 1t was
a mighty good bargain, and the
credit for it is due to the council.
The mayor had no more to do with it
than anyone of a hundred of other
public spirited citizens.
AS for the. mayors veto Of the in
vestment of $4,000 more in bonds
than the water works purchase call
ed for. as the Star showed at the
time, Horatius fired his gun, or
rather his veto, in the air. Or per-
haps fiourished it, as people didn't
wear guns in 800 B. c. In the first
place the council had no intention of
selling the bonds at that time In
the second, the mayor vetoed a resO-
tuition that had already been render
ed invalid by a later resolution, and
nobody, not excepting the mayor
himself, could possibly tell what eff
feet the veto had on city government.
The city bonds in question were
sold thru the Ocala banks, which
much better price than it would
otherwise have received. The banks,
owing TO the money stringency of
last summer. (Which Ocala, owing to
the good management and public
spirit of said banks, felt less than
many other communities did not
wish 10 take any more Of the bonds
than was necessary. This the coun-
Gil knew, and the mayor could have
known. Lastly, the money for the
bonds is in the hands OF board OF
bond trustee, three gentlemen who
Sd far as the Star knows have never
bsEa caught stealing anything. Mr.
Spencer broadly infers that the
cnuncilmen and bond trustees are
thieves, or would be if they had a
chance. Gee. What a roast Mr..
Spencer would give the mayor if he
Ras arguing for the other side
Mr.. Spencer proceeds 10 inform Us
By his very obvious inference that all
our Improvements and the sound fl
nancial condition Of our city are due
II the mayor. We will hardly argue
raj u7,o-+ioD with E'1u;p W. I-,or
Ia Is entirely too smart 10 believe
what he says.
Mayor Robertson is a man Of en-