The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1914-02-13

fAt+ "a H. foitioulc Vi the hdhutdC-
turers' Record Of Baltimore. thinks
that this is the accepted time for
civic Improvements i'm the south. Rail-
road and kindred securities are no
longer paying the dividends they
once did. and capital is looking
around for investn. ents in something
more stable and less subject to exec
utive, legislative and judicial antago-
nisms, so municipal ana county bonds,
IL is believed, viii be sought after
more actively than ever before.
There is already a strong improve
ment In the market for municipal Sc
curities, and the same authority says
that a vast amount of county. city
and municipal Improvements of ev-
cry kind Is needed in the south, and
TO supply which bonds must be is.
sued. The condition. Mr.. Edmonds
says. is favorable for the prosecution
OF public work at the present time.
III he were writing especially about
Ocala he could not have been more
exact.
We need the civic center that we
have the opportunity of securing. buc
II we let ii escape us it will. like "the
water that is passed." be gone for
ever.
To comply with the statutes of the
state we are required to install a
sewerage system. and il is wise to Sc
cure the very best system procurable
Individually we believe that we
have the best sewerage system of any
community on the continent-a sys-
tenn that has served us in good part
for twenty-five years, a system about
which much can be said In its favor,
and every statement can be substan-
tiated and barricaded with a multi
plicity of stubborn facts-but the law
says that we must do away with this
system, and there is nothing left for
as to do but to comply with the law.
We must erect those school build
ings-the education of the child is of
paramount importance. The child
must not only be educated, but Ii
must be done under a roof with all
necessary and sanitary conditions.
We must extend our paved streets
MIR. Edmonds says that every grow
ing town in the south needs to inn
prove and keep on improving every
day and every year for sanitation and
health. No wiser investment can be
made by people than the money spent,
when IL Is honestly expended, for
works of public improvements.
We quote a sentence frolc Mr.. Ed
monds' well considered article:
These improvements mean mate
rial progress. they mean better condi-
tions of living. better environment
for young and old. and better health
and longer lives for the people. It Is
especially important, therefore, that
the authorities of every community
IN the south should study the situa-
ti0n in the light of present conditions
when money for such work is becom-
ing more abundant and when the la
Dor available for it is in great sup
oily. Moreover, the very doing of
these things and the employment of
labor in works OF this kind would
stimulate all business interests and
largely help in bringing about that
general prosperity for which all are
booking and hoping. This is the
south's day of opportunity for work
OF this kind"
IL is not like throwing money away
when IL goes into these improve
ments. Take, for instance, the fifty
Thousand dollars that go towards the
|construction of the school buildings
THE money goes to whom? 1t goes
into the pockets of those people who
Ideal In building materials of all kinds.
lit gives employment to labor. Arch
.itects. contractors, carpenters, brick
.masons. plasterers. timers, etc. But
this money does not stay in their
|pockets. II enters into the channels
'of trade. and everybody in the COM
immunity, comparatively speaking, is
Benefited. Property is appreciated,
the community has a building which
n viii always point to with pride, the
Educational and sanitary conditions
BIZ the child are provided for, and
/ those who pay the taxes will find
themselves in a better position to do
10.
# SO the same argument may be used
In all the other improvements con
semplated.
We owe II to ourselves and to oug
bosterity to do all We can to make