The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1913-09-10
COMMON SENSE VS..
FOOLISH SENTIMENT

In discussing the coming wet and
dry election, a we'll known business
man expressed himself as follows:
he sale of liquor is a business that
has existed always and is one that
will continue as long as the human
race exists The general government
legalizes the manufacture and sale
OF Intoxicating beverages, and our
state government also provides that
countries may allow the legal sale Of
liquor by licensed dealers. Marion
county has always been a wet coun-
" with the exception of two years
some years ago, and after the two
years experience with bootIeggers
and blind tigers, it returned to the
legal sale of liquor in we'll ordered
and decently conducted saloons. At
tention has been called to the little
city of Palatka with its newly paved
streets and bridge and other i'm
provements which indicate that it is
keeping abreast with the natural de-
yelopment of the state. The city of
Palatka and the county of Putnam
were heavily bonded for these inn
ample would be good one for our
city and county to follow Palatka,
with its advantageous freight rates,
should be much better town than it
iC and hnlSnv-n
get the same rates our city would
soon be far in advance of Palatka
with its three we'll patronized clubs
and its numerous bootleggers and
blind tigers and 1 do not believe
that any fair minded citizen will con-
tend that prohibition has stopped
the sale of liquor in Putnam county.
Gainesville is another city that is
quoted as an example. This city,
/ like Ocala, is distributing point for
its immediate section; the state has
also located its University there and
has spent many thousands of dollars
in buildings and grounds, the stu
dents bring money into the town, but
in spite of all the casual comparison
of the stores, restaurants, hotels and
other places of business will convince
any fair minded person that Ocala
has held her own, without any OUT
side assistance. We have paved our
streets with brick without bonding
our city. We are willing to compare
the records of our police courts with
the dry cities records. Travelling
men will tell you that they find more
any one believes that prohibition is
effective let him inspect the express
car running out of Jacksonville or
Tampa or as far as that is concerned,
out of Ocala. Ask any travelling man
which is the best inland town in the
state and without hesitation he will
answer 'Ocala.' And furthermore is
it not So Can either Palatka Gaines
vile or Orlando show more or better
paved streets, better telephone, cleo
tric or gas service, as many first class
stores, can these dry 90 towns
show two we'll supported daily pa
pers, one with Associated telegraph
news, can they boast Of a hospital
that will compare with the one that
| is nearing completion, which is being
built by popular subscription? Can
they boast of an athletic field which
has been donated to the young men
OF our city forever, are athletic sports
as we'll patronized in the dry section.
Can these dry towns produce a clean
er, or more manly set of young men
than Ocala on the baseball field the
! past summer. OcaIa has made rec
/ ord that cannot be eXcelled. We
/ have nothing to be ashamed of and
we have come thus far on the road
/ of prosperity with clean, well-con-
IdEcted saloons. We are now asked
to experiment. We know the men
| who are at the head Of the liquor
| business. They are clean men, whom
we respect and even the most ardent
supporter of the dry measure cannot
fni aught but good to say about
! these business men. They are as
/ much interested in the development
! of our fair city as you are. They are
large taxpayers, they are always in
| terested in any move for the better
ment of Ocala and are always more
/ than ready to respond to any appeal
/ for aid whether made by our various
: charitable organizations or Of some
obscure case that is brought to their
attention. They are. law abiding
men. The ordinance requiring sa-
looms to close at 10 p. m. was intro
duced by one of these business men.
And furthermore these men close
their places of business at the hour
specified and keep them closed;
! there are no side doors open after