The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1914-07-16
ADVANTAGES or
MUNICIPAL OWNERSHIP

a city owning its public utilities is,
when properly handled, they produce
revenue, which can be applied TO i'm
provements, or reducing taxation.
Ocala has a great public utility in
dts electric plant, which, just at this
tfme, when the city has reached the
point that the plant can be improved
for the public good, not only for the
present, but for all time, some peo-
pie are willing to surrender for a
comparatively insignificant price an
advantage that, if kept in the hands
OF the people, will make then stock
holders in the greatest industrial
enterprise of this part of the coun-
try, namely, furnishing current not
only for the homes of its people, but
all the manufacturing enterprises
heTeabouts.
Our neighboring city of Palatka is
d pretty and prosperous town, but,
tho it has greater advantages, is not
going ahead as fast as Ocala Except
It's water, public utility is in the
hands of private owners. The peo-
pie, in consequence, pay much more.
Electric current for instance. Sew
eral years ago, the Star discarded
the gasolene engine that drove its
machinery and put in electric motors,
hnding the power far cheaper as
we'll as more convenient. Over in
Inalatka, the daily paper, the Item,
= uses a gasolene engine, because cur
rent would cost too much In the
matter of electric current, Palatka is
not in 1T with Ocala. Everywhere
you go in this city, you meet the
Se1ectric 1ight--in the streets, the
ssturesv the public offices and the
homes. ANY Oca1a man going to
Palatka is struck at once by the
comparative dfmness of everything
after nfghtfall as compared with his
home city.
1PRRatka people are not satisfied
by the following from the Pa1atka
'Item, which speaking partly of an
. other matter goes extensively into
> the question of municipal ownership,
seas ffolEows:
A Good Suggestion
The question of municipal docks
has been the subject of discussion in
this city from time to time during
the past many months, but like all
other public projects it gets thus far
and no farther. Judging by the
brilliant ideas emanating from the
fertile brains of our citizens, there
can be no doubt but that Palatka has
more brains to the square inch than
possessed by many cities to the
square mile, but, unfortunately the
much needed fertilizer in the shape
of greenbacks is not Forthcoming,
and as consequence the fruits of
their labors are not as abundant as
the brilliancy of the ideas are en-
titled to.
We are led to the remarks on the
municipal docks problem by para
graph in the Ocala, Star, which to
our mind is deserving of more than
passing notice. 1t reads:
eff the merchants of Ocala would
join forces with the merchants of
Palatka, they could have a schooner
line bringing freight from New York
20 Palatka the year around. A
schooner could land freight in Pa
4atka for 60 per cent of what the
cost would be by ocean steamer to
Jacksonville, and the Ocala North
ern and the Oklawaha boats could
bring it on to Ocala and points be-
tween at rates greatly lower than
are paid now. Canned goods, nails
and other hardware, roofing and
other goods that do not have tc
move swiftly, could be brought with
great advantage by this line; also
91aere are many things that could be
shipped out In return. Such an en-
terprise needs only concerted and
sustained effort to make it sue
cess
The word cooperation" has come
into vogue more the past decade
than during the previous centuries
put together. 1t is slowly, but sure
7y, coming to dawn upon thinker
and leaders in every sphere of actiy
1ty that little can be accomplished
Individually Concerted action i
the only possible way of reaching
out and gaining an advantage. TIL,
working man has his union, tn
professional and business man hi