The Ocala evening star., 1915-04-02
COMMUNICATION FROM
THE COUNTY CLERK

Editor Star: After having served
years ago as county commissioner
myself, and having later filled the
sheriff's Office and now being clerk, /
am bound to know that the worst pos
sible way to get votes is by newspaper
articles, and, even if / did not know
this / certainly do know that any
sort of political writing so far ahead
of an election could not possibly ben
eft me. It ought to be plain, there
fore that Mr.. Gamsby is simply mis-
taken in the idea that my statement
as to county finances has anything to
do with politics. / want to say here
openly and publicly what | have re-
peatedly stated in private, that in my
opinion Mr.. c. Carmichael made this
county a good commissioner and a
goodRchairman of the board and that
all UM~%hG~ members of the old board
really wished to do all they could for
the best interests of the county. They
are all friends of mine whom / per-
sonally esteem. The gist of the state
ment that / made seems to have es-
capped Mr.. Gamsby. / stated plainly
that the commissioners were besieged
| by demands for money, etc. The fact
| is that under this pressure they have
spent too much money, and have spent
money illegally.
Mr. Gamsby is mistaken when he
| assumes that / am in accord with him
| in his estimate of county commission
ers. l simply want them to follow
4 the plain law and to be more rigid in
withstanding the endless inroads on
| this county's money. When the board
of commissioners possibly decided that
Mr.. Gamsby himself was more of a
railroad builder than a practical road
man they did what they thought was
| for the best interest of the county and
| got another man, and in other matters
/ they certainly and surely are trying
| to do the best they can for the county
| /, of course, have no objection to Mr.
Gamsby being amused by my state.
ment of facts. The comptroller
statement showing that the whole
state is nearly as deeply in debt may
possibly amuse Mr.. Gamsby also. But
there are plenty of quiet and thought
full men to whom the situation is mo-
! funny at ALL / have given an exact
statement of the receipts and expen
ditures in the road fund for the las
six, months of 1914, and that state
ment is true. | believe that it is a!
dependable as any statement made b!
any of the books of any bank in Ocala
Il said-I say again-that during tn
last six months of 1914 the road funt
expended for every dollar that it go
from taxes about two dollars. l statet
that donations to the hospital were il
legal, donations to the fair illegal, do
nations to advertise the county illegal
| state that the board of commission
ers is not only not allowed to chang
any assessment in the hands of tn
collector, but absolutely forbidden t
do that very thing. / will go furthe
and say that the new board had start
. ed to do that very thing and / cite
! among other things, their action a
! their last meeting when in the teetl
of the law they reduced the assess
ment of the Citizens Investment Com
pany from $4,000 to nothing, and
: want to add with emphasis that eac
/ and every man on the board believe
: this was simple justice. But it was il
: legal. And / say this as a stockholde
in the Citizens Investment Company.
7 Mr.. Gamsby tells us that the deb
t of the road fund was reduced abou
$1,000 in 1914. For his information
will say that a hasty examination @
E the books show that, in addition t
/ spending every dollar of the roa