The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1914-05-30
TO THE DEMOCRATIC VOTERS
Commissioner Watkins Gives the
Record OF His Work for the
County

AOUUJy
1 promised to the voters of Marion
county some figures on road build
ing, If elected to the Office of county
commissioner, and now, as 1 prom
Used to do, l will explain.
We built in May, 1913, 400 yards,
at a cost of $3O71.O6 or $2.19k per
yard, equal to $3,s5s.sO per mile.
In June, of the same year, the coun-
ty built $50 yards, costing $685. 2-3
per yard, equal to $594130 per mile;
but the above was in the city of
Ocala, being only a portion of the
expense of having hard-surfacing
done in the city limits.
Arrangements were made between
one of the members of the board and
the city council for settlement of
5000, and some of the city lawyers
said they would see that the city
would not pay cent. With the aid
of Commissioner Davis, l was pre-
pared at each and every meeting to
have a settlement and, after about
four months / succeeded in collect
ing $500, which was equal to $500
saved.
According to the law, we were re-
CURED to publish a financial state
ment, which would cost the voters Of
Marion county about $500. By
refusing to do that, on account of
the expense, we succeeded in getting
the consent of the comptroller to
print synopsis at cost of about
$500 per year, and that alone saved
the voters of the county $4,000.
! Under the new primary law it
would have cost the county to have
registered the voters for the primary
! about $500. / was instrumental in
/ getting the books handled at from
SIS to s25 per precinct, which only
cost the county about $3.50, saving
the people of the county about S2,-
100
4 So you can plainly see a little of
4 the good l have done and the prom
Uses l have made.
We are tired of seeing the peoples
money spent foolishly; We want re-
suits. l have looked after these
things. The county surveyor admits
that l am building hard roads now
for 20 cents per yard, so it is plain
even for a blind man to see that We
saved $500 per yard, which will
mean a saving in expense of about
$4,000 per mile as compared with
) the cost of last year. That saving
) would build nearly four miles of
road, and / will say further than in
. the same proportion of saving, in
. roads at nominal cost throughout
the county.
In 1912 the county commission
ers spent about $4,000 more than
present board an Indebtedness OF
: about $4,000 in 1913. We re-
duced that Indebtedness about $780,
i. 900, and expect in 1914 to reduce il
: between $4,000 and $4,000 more
Why should we favor bonds, when
: in about four years we will be out oil
- debt, at which time we will have
from $4,000 to $4,000, besides
the $4,000 interest we are now
paying each year, to apply on roads
and with the present management
for a few years we will have good
roads and a snug little sum for &
rainy day
/ believe in equal taxation, and
If elected will see that the rich mar
pays his tax in the same proportion
as the poor man.
II / have not been led around by the
nose in any respect, and have done
some good by fighting for my dis
trict's rights, as we'll as for the PEG
pies rights at large. I will b.
fought very hard by certain fac
N ton in Ocala, and do you know
that this alone is a very good sigI
II that | have made a good stand fol
the people and against the specia
Interests?
Now, with the experience I hav,
had and with the advantages | viii
have over a new man, if you viii
tgive me the privilege of serving 70,
> the next term, / will prove to yol
! that / enjoy doing something TO
: Iyou. If I had had two terms i
would have given my plenty of tim,
4 to show what was in me. I will ap
, preciate your first vote as much a
amy one can, and if for any reason