The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1915-03-11
FURTHER DISCUSSION OF
THE BOND CONTROVERSY


To the Editor Ocala Banner: | wish t
70 reply, through the medium OF your
paper. to the expression or the edlboT
of the Star, appearing Iuesday eve
ming, March 9th, relative to the pohd
controversy. r. L. Anderson, Dr.
Really and truly if Mr.. Anderson
desires to carry on debate with the
Star on this or any other subject, ne
will have to send, his letters to the
Star. If he was as well posted on
journalism as he is on law, he would
understand that it is very inconven-
lent to this paper to discuss with him
any matter that he insists on shoot
ing at it thru the columns of another
journal.
There is very little in Mr.. Ander-
sons latest article that it is necessary
to reply to. The people of Ocala uTl-
derstand perfectly why he and Mr..
Camp brought this suit, and their al
legged zeal for vindication of the law
deceives no one.
Mr.. Anderson knows great deal
more about law than the Star does,
but one does not need to be lawyer
to know what is justice.
Mr.. Anderson says:
"The Star says, in effect, no matter
how or In what manner, or by whom
the bonds are authorized you must
not object, because such objection
wcov cost fh0 qitv money!
The Star does not recollect taking
such an unreasonable position. If Mr.
Anderson will show the Star where it
made such a proposition, it will i'm
mediately retract.
He goes on to say:
"The citizens must stand quietly by
and allow the most high-handed spe.
cies Of proceedings TO pass unopposed
because we, the people, OF whom the
Star is the self-elected mouthp1ece
prefer rather to uselessly expend city
money than to correct the error in tht
proceedings for their issuance.
1t has of late years become the fash
ion of those who represent specia
interests to refer to all who speak TO
the public interests as "self-electet
champions of the people" This styl
of expression is sheer, and when
man resorts to sneers he is hard u
for argument
The Star didn't have to be elected
mouthpiece of the people. Every maj
on it, from the proprietor down t
the devil, was born among the PEG
pie, lives and works among the PEG
pie, and will probably die among tn
people. Why shouldn't the Star speal
for its class?
Notwithstanding, we will buy 70
Mr.. Anderson brand-new automobil
tire il he will find in any issue of tn
Star any allegation that it has bee
elected or chosen a mouthpiece of tn
people. What it has done and said i
behalf of the people has been done i
the course of its everyday work
When a paper doesn't represent tn
people it is a mighty good sign tina
it is being paid to represent some
body or something else.
And while we are on that subject
it may not be improper to ask MI
Anderson, who elected him and MI
Camp, and when, to represent the pee
pie Of Ocala?
Mr.. Anderson closes his article b
asking:
"Why did the council deviate froT
the legal mode followed by the cit
officials in 1897, which is the exac
procedure we now insist on ?"
It seems to the Star that Judg
Bullock's decision answered this ques
ton. The ordinance under which tn
election was held was drawn by tn
council of last year, with a majorit
of the members of which Mr.. Andel
son and Mr.. Camp were understoo
to be in sympathy. The present counc
is trying to carry out the will of tt
people of 0cala as expressed in a
election held under the said ordinanc
Mr.. Anderson knows the present coul
Gil has no option in the matter-if
hadn't tried to validate the bonds,
could have. been compelled to do so /
u1d0QdUtuSs dAoO NlA0N4S t141tb IL i
and Mr.. Camp hadn't opposed Il
valuation of the bonds, and employt
one of the leading lawyers of Il
state in the case, that the city wou
not have spent an extra penny in Il
matter, that the bonds would ha,
been validated without opposition al
that work on the new electric plal
would have soon commenced.
And now if Mr.. Anderson wants
further debate this matter with Il
Star, he viii have to send his cor
munications to the Star. He can .
ways have all the space he needs
discussion of this or any other publ
matter.