The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1913-09-13
MEI OR DRY y

Next Tuesday, Marion county will
hold an election to decide whether OF
not whisky shall be legally sold in
its limits during the next two years
1t is not possible to predict the re-
suit. The indications are that the
vote will be very close, with the odds
if anything in favor of the drys. The
Star would not advise anybody to
bet either way.
The result probably depends on
Ocala precinct. All people from
Dunnellon claim that precinct will go
dry. Of the country precincts. it is
conceded that SummerfieId, Belle
view, Shady and BIitchton will go
wet. Oklawaha, Anthony and Or
ange"Springs are doubtful. The drys
claim the other precincts.
In Ocala, a majority of the bust
ness men seem to be in favor of the
wet ticket, most of them from bust
ness reasons, as they fear that a dry
victory will be detrimental, if not
disastrous
The drys are determined to keep
the matter before the people until
they win. Under the constitution, a
local option election can be called
every two years, and they say if they
lose this time they will begin at once
to work for another fight in 1915.
Up to the present, this has been
the most quiet wet or dry contest
Marion county has ever had. There
has been less denunciation and per-
sonal i'll feeling than usual, which is
something to be devoutly thankful
for
How to vote is a question every
man should ponder seriously and de-
eide according to his conscience and
reason, and not according to his pre-
JUDGES.
There is much to say on both sides
Beyond a doubt, Marion is a sober
county. There is less drunkenness in
it than in any wet county of it's size
and less than in many that are dry.
Also, the Ocala saloons are the best
conducted and most orderly in the
state. The proprietors are all good
citizens, and have taken their share
in carrying the public burdens and
working for the public advancement.
A dry victory would hurt them all
financially, and would very likely re-
duce some of their employees to want.
The great question to decide how
ever, is, will a dry victory decrease
drunkenness?
IF we shut the \ saloons, we will
have more blind tigers than we have
now-more, because we always have
some.
1t has been very we'll said that if
man will drink, he had better do his
drinking in a saloon. He will drink
more moderately in a saloon than if
he has supply of liquor in his home
or place of business. There are GER
tain restrictions on licensed saloon
that are absent in an illegal place of
selling; in fact, no saloon keeper who
caters to the orderly element wants
a drunkard in his place.
On the other hand:
Men will learn to drink in saloons
who would never learn to drink in
blind tigers or in their homes or
other peoples homes. There are
many men who have formed the
habit of drinking who have enough
will power to avoid the blind tiger
and secret bottle, but not enough to
avoid the open saloon, which is al
ways attractive to the man of social
disposition.
So, there you are.
Will Marion county be more sober
dry than it is wet?
1t is idle to say that this great
county, with its thousands of indus
,trious men and women, it's tens of
thousands of acres of fertile lands,