The Ocala evening star., 1915-02-09
INEXCUsABLE APATHY


ter from President Meffert of the city
council, recommending the plan of
the city issuing industrial bonds, for
the purpose of giving help and a start
to industries that seek a home in
Ocala, but do not care to come unless
they are offered inducements that
will give them secure foothold during
the first year or so of uphill work.
The Star has not heard any dissent
from this proposition of Mr.. Meffert's,
but a number of our citizens commend
it. One citizen, however, whose ex-
tensive business affairs cause him to
know whereof he speaks, says, or
rather repeats what the Star has fire.
quently said in the last dozen years,
that we cannot hope for much success
in manufacturing until we have bet
ter freight rates.
This reminded the Star to again
inquire what was being done in re-
gard to Mr.. Carmichael's proposition
to start freight boat line on the Ok
fine boat if Ocala would buy another
one-a proposition more beneficial
than any Carnegie or Rockefeller ever
made to community, and, consider
ing the means of the man, far more
unselfish and generous.
The Star regrets to say that pro-
:'gress made toward accepting this
proposition, now several months old,
is not extensive enough to be seen
with the naked eye. It cannot find
trace of enough appreciation to even
family reward Mr.. Carmichael for his
public spirit, or to encourage any man
TO offer to help Ocala on this line
again.
Had the Star been told year ago
that Ocala business men were so apa-
thetic, so careless of their best inter-
ests, as to go to sleep on this propo-
sition, it would not have believed the
assertion. It is very seldom that such
an offer is made to a community, and
still more seldom that one is made
that promises to SO entirely fill a
long-felt want. For years and years,
tOcala business men have bellyached
over the high freight rates charged by
the railroads. And now, when one of
their own number tries at great
personal expense to help them deliver
themselves, they set like a bunch of
dummies, apparently unable to under
stand, let alone appreciate, the propo-
sition.
Ocala's attitude on this proposition
reminds the Star of an Irish story. A
traveller in Ireland came to a place
where the road forked. He could not
see any signboard, but on the grass
by the road lay man evidently in
the last stages of laziness. The trav-
eler asked him which road was the
right one, and the man, without
speaking, but with the greatest posi-
BILE economy of effort, indicated By
pointing with the toe of one shoe the
proper direction.
The traveller was struck with the
utter laziness of the gesture, and said
"My man, if you will do something
more lazy than that, | will give you {
shilling"
Without moving, or even opening
an eye wider, the man said:
"Put it in me pocket, sor."
Needless to say, he was given tn
shilling.
Mr.. Carmichael has virtually pu
one fine freight boat in Ocala's pock
eff he gave her another, wouldn'
she still be too Internal lazy to hau
the freight to and from the dock.
It's time for US to wake up an
quit fattering ourselves. We brag o.
our enterprise, but there are thou
sands of other communities with no
half our advantages and ten time
our "get up and git" We have al
ways had navigable stream in les
than six miles from our business Ger
ter but we have paid enough in hig
freights to build a railroad and brio
highway to the waters edge, and pu
boats of our own on the river, NEAR