The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1915-07-23
JOINED TO HIS IDOLS"

the most harped upon theme of the
"8loxham countyites,'' namely, that
I Dcala Is imposing on all the country
round about, and very mildly but
thoroughly replies to all of that much
mistaken argument.
Our good friend. Mr.. John X. Har-
rison, whom we have not seen for any
number Of years. like Ephraim of old.
seems. Joined to his idols. and re-
fuses to be comforted."
He rests under the conviction that
this paper has failed to refute his
cold facts and because of the truth
fuIness OF those facts" he is more in
favor Of county division than ever be
fore.
All that this paper asks in this dis
oussion is that our old friend shall
! agree to bs fair, generous and chart
table.
Now what are the cold facts" that
, Mr.. Harrison has laid bare?
One is that his section has not re-
, ceived its share of the benefits of
good roads derived from taxation.
while Ocala has received more than
her share.
Mr.. Harrison seems not to be aware
: that Ocala vitriies her own streets
and lays down her own cement side
| walks out of taxes levied for munich
! pal purposes by her city council.
. The Dv,-rar-
f by a direct tax to pay for their own
5 sidewalks and two-thirds of the cost
2 of the streets, and by an indirect tax
2 help to pay for the other third.
If Nh harrison will be considerate
enough 20 read the proceedings OF
the city council he will discover that
e these severely burdened property
I owners are begging for the privilege
r of making the payments for these i'm
: provements to run through a course OF
o one two and three years.
S So the taxes Mr.. Harrison pays into
a the county treasury are not applied
e for the liquidation of said claims.
s Why, then. does he feel so sore
against Ocala?
Then again:
Mr.. Harrison says that the reason
his section receives less of the good
n roads fund than its share and Ocala
r. receives more than her share is be
:. case his section has but one member
a on the board of county commission
5 ers, against four others.
}, Is not that true also of Ocala? Sure
q ly he is disposed to be fair reasona
n BILE and charitable?
e Ocala has but one member on the
s board of county commissioners, wheT
W there have always been four from
e the country.
% How, then, is it possible for Ocals
to improperly infience the board?
1t is the country not the town, tina
Y exercises the preponderance of pow
Re er on that board.
Again:
- Our old friend is likewise grieve'
because his section has not received
its full share of the taxes derived from
- the school fund. while Ocala, h
claims. has received more than he
share.
J., He assigns the same reasol
% therefor. viz: Because Ocala has
Il preponderance of influence on tn
school board.
Again our friend is laboring unde
= a delusion which is alike unfair an
E. uncharitable to Ocala. Ocala has bu
one member on that board while tn
~ country has two.
= Ocala. it is TRUE, has a local specia
h. tax board of trustees, but this priv
Sc ilege is not denied to the section il
which Mr. Harrison resides. 1t call
for more taxes derived from the pal
- ticular section in which the same ar
expended.
1t is with this tax, collected directl
- from her own citizens. that Ocala ha
i, been able to enlarge and extend he
le school facilities, the benefits c
which are not denied to those resid
ing outside her limits Indeed. Ocal
- is glad to have those living in tn
country to avail themselves of thes
& privileges.
I'd We desire to call the attention G
al Mr.. Harrison to the further fact tina
Mr.. Brinson. our school superintenC
ent, was elected from the country. an
- so were his predecessors in Office
to-wit: Mr.. w. d. earn and Mr.. Ma
q rion l.. Payne.
- But is it true that Ocala is recei'
ing more than her share of the benz
fits derived from taxes, say OF a
kinds2
Ocala is perfectly willing to take a
her share the taxes derived from he
"a taxable values including her share d.
Ie rived from the railroads, and let eV
s cry cent derived outside her corpo1
ate limits co tn the country district: