The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1915-04-05
POSTMASTER ROGERS PUTS
Up HIS TWO POINTS

Editor star: When Col. Frank Har
ris came to me for an interview on
the hydro-electric plant, / had no IN
tention nor desire to get up a contro-
yersy over the matter, had no idea
that you were 50 jealous Of the old
city light plant. You say in your
editorial Of Friday Ind inst that ov-
er looked two points viz: first, zone Is s
that the money made from the cleo
trio light plant goes to pay city ex-
.penses. IF they were not paid from
electric current profits they would .
have to be paid BY direct taxation"
Now. 8Irs Editor 20 back and read +
ny interview again and you viii see
I did not overlook that point. I said. |
81 am informed that the light plant of
Oeala has made big money for the
city and that big money coming as a /
direct tax on every consumer Is be-
/ ing used to meet the needs Of the
city~in lieu Of the $4,000 uncollect-
ed taxes of 1914" Do you take the
position that / should pay my advalo-
rem taxes and then pay two prices
/ for the use of electric current so as
TO meet the expenses of the city that
the unsolicited taxes ought to meet
I do not know who has and who
have not paid their city taxes for
1914, but / do know the city tax col
lector reported $4,000 uncollected
that have been past due since last
/ December. If the city has no law
to collect the taxes past due, they
have no la VITO collect mine, therefore
/ the principle is wrong to accept my
/ advalorem taxes and then charge me
one dollar for twenty-five cents worth
of electric current to make good the
shortage of the other fellow who will
!, not pay his taxes. This is exactly
what is being done. The very lest
authority of this town has publicly
proclaimed that the light plant gene
rates current at two cents per k. W. h.,
the consumers are charged eight
J cents per X. ". he or one dollar for
s twenty-five cents worth of current
The same practice applies to our city
water. Some of the consumers are
i being charged one dollar for Is or &c
5 seents worth OF water The principle
and the practice is wrong my friend
: Water is essential to life. Suppose Z
E merchant should charge his customers
' one dollar for Is or 20 cents worth
? of bacon, meal or flour; would this b.
:. right? No, No! But this some nigh
e do if they had It all their way, bu
d competition makes him sell the essen
], tials of life at very little profit
: Do you think now / overlooked tn,
first point?
Now to the next point you say
overlooked ''that the. Florida Powe
Company has not proposed to sell cur
: rent to the individual citizen" l d
not know who compose the Floridi
Power Company. R. c. Camp is tn
) only man who has made and propose
to the city or who have heard sa.
j anything about what the compan,
: would do, but I am willing that "
= put them to the test. Suppose tn
: city shall say to the Florida Powe
Company, I'VE will let you come int
the city, if you will, take over on
! old light plant at its actual cash val
!. ne and bind yourselves in a contrac
to furnish current directly to our cit
: zens at their homes or places of bus
mess at a cents per k. w. h. for tn
: next 25 years" This proposal t
: them would cover the second point yo
s said / overlooked and if they do nc
: accept it ]. will put my hand over m
mouth and give you the belt.
If they do accept it the consumer
r. of electric current in Ocala will say
= one hundred per cent in the price an
Oeala will prosper in future as it ne,
er can at present prices of electri
current. Now in conclusion beg I
say that ! think this very unpropi
ious time to the friends of the o.
plant to discuss its. merits or eonten
$, that 8 cents per K. ", h is right ar
= just to charge the consumer and a
willing now to stop the discussion. bl
= if you think I am wrong and wal
to keep up the fight, will take n
old rusty sword from the. scabbard az
S brighten it up and give you anoth'
|, round or two with the highest regai
and esteem for you.
am with much respect yours f
equal rights to all and special favo
to none. R. F. Rogers.
Il
Mr.. B. Goldman. NOTICING the Sta