The Ocala evening star., 1915-09-14
PINELLAS AND BLOXHAM
st. Petersburg, Fla, Sept. G

purpose to mix into the "Bloxham
county" campaign in the smallest
way; but as the name and conditions
of Pinellas county are being discussed
in that connection, and as the Star
seems the principal medium of such
discussion, / trust you will give fair
publicity to this statement in behalf
of the county l helped to create.
There may be perfectly good and
sufficient local reasons why the crea-
ton of ''Bloxham county" would not
be to the advantage of the people
within its proposed limits; | do not
know, and | would not so state to the
Star if / did know; but for Pinellas,
county independence has resulted in
vast benefits, and in no single respect
that | know of to it's disadvantage.
The question of taxes-in Pinellas,
in ST. Petersburg, in Ocala, in Mar
ion, and in every other community in
the United States-is the favorite and
most effective bugaboo with which to
head off any political change whatso-
ever, although as everybody knows
where an actual public benefit is in
volved it is really the least important
of all. An the facts as to Pinellas
taxes are certainly being misrepre-
sented for use on the "anti" side of
the "Bloxham" campaign. The state
ment is repeatedly made that our
county taxes have greatly increased,
Ic saf al IN
such statements it must be to give the
impression that they have increased
because of county division, and that if
we had remained part of Hills
borough county they would not have
increased. Both of which propositions
make such statements absolutely un-
true.
A recent communication in the
Star tried to make this point by cit
ing our county millage and then add
ing on the city millages of st. Peters
burg, Clearwater and Tarpon Springs.
OF course, these city millages have
nothing whatever to do with the coun-
ty taxes-and these same city mill
ages for public improvements have
put st. Petersburg, Clearwater and
Tarpon Springs far ahead of any and
all other cities of their class in all
Florida.
Our county taxes have increased; !;
but it is because we have been doing
>things-and we have the goods to
prove it. We increased them our
selves. We did not have to. Nobody
else imposed them on US. We levied
them, collected them, and expended
them, ourselves, as we chose; and, as
said, because we are doing things.
Taxes have increased during this
same period in every city and county
in Florida that is doing things and
has the goods. They have increased
in Ocala and in Marion, if Ocala and
Marion are keeping up with the pro-
cession of South Florida upbuilding.
The county taxes of Pinellas have not
increased any more than those OF
Hillsborough; and Hillsborough is toe
great and too rich to suppose that
the cutting off of little Pinellas caused
any of her increase. If we had re-
mained in Hillsborough our county
taxes would have increased fully as
much, and perhaps more, and nc
thoughtful citizen of Pinellas will
sincerely say that we could possibly
have received the returns from them
that we now have.
The benefits to Pinellas from county
independence have been enormous
and the increase of population and en-.
terprise is here to prove it. The
value of the fame and prestige alone
of individuality on the map of Florida
a state to which settlers and inves
tors from all over the country are
now fiocking, is beyond computation
| venture the assertion that the name
and location of Pinellas county art
now better known throughout the
country than are those of Hills
borough; and a name-a good nam,
is worth just as much to a city o.
county as to an individual, and fol
the same reasons.
Railroads have built into Pinellas
new towns have sprung up; large cap
ital has come in from many sources
and directions; and developments o
all kinds are ahead of almost all othe
parts of Florida. A prominent citizel
of Pensacola who recently made :;
business trip covering all Floridi
found more building and progressive
activity in Pinellas county and he
cities and towns than in any othe
part of the state.
It might be difficult to prove tha
county independence is responsible
for this extraordinary record; al
though in my opinion it is very large
ly that, indeed; but it is self-eviden
fact that it did not prevent it.
When we are all absolutely agree
upon any worldly proposition the en-
of all things will be near at hand, an
there are those who will not admi
they were wrong in opposing count
independence for Pinellas; but, where
as our people cast IA per cent. ma
jority for it in November, 1911, the
would cast a 80 per cent. vote toda