The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1917-11-16
THINGS THAT ocALA NEEDS
Ocaia. Fla. Nov. 10, 1917.

needs is 10 De adopted Dy muiLlmll-
lionaire like some Of her sister cities
on the east coast; but as none has ap-
peared, willing to bestow upon us. the
many things we feel sure we need,
while we are waiting for our Flagler
or Burgoin it is up to US to relieve
our own orphaned condition as best
we may.
1t seems that while our country as
whole is in prosperous state, yet
conditions in Ocala were such that
this war from the beginning has work
ed against cur prosperity first, by
closing our phosphate mines; then,
our lack of manufacturing enterpris-
es made it possible for our laboring
men to find employment at better
wages in cities where the large enter
prises pertaining to the war are in
progress.
In short, when the big call came for
laborers OcaIa had nothing to offer
her men to keep them here: The re-
suit has been that men with their
families have left us by the score,
in very many instances never to re-
turn
Our greatest need is capital. well
invested, in some of the many oppor-
tunities for converting Florida's album
dance of raw MATERIAL into CONNER
cial products, such as tanneries, shoe
factories, furniture factories. and all
kinds of canneries for both fruits and
vegetables.
Then the farmers need an establish
ed market for all of their products
Our city needs all of these, and
much more along the same line.
But right now Ocala is facing an
opportunity, possibly the greatest of
the kind she has ever had
The winter tourist season is about
to begin; all indications are for a
large one.
Our new union depot is now
completed, our hotels have nearly all
been completely remodeled and made
fairly up to date; we have our fine
golf links and our Silver Springs.
Our board of trade and tourist club
have succeeded in getting "Ocala on
the map" of one of our large rail-
roads, and it is to be hoped on the
other also, which was just the right
thing to do, and that alone is going
to bring hundreds of people to our
city this coming winter.
Now, the class of tourists that will
be attracted to our city is not the
millionaire--it keeps to the strictly
tourist towns and large hotels-but it
is the moderately rich who will visit
u.s.. the class that is looking for a
place to locate winter home or pos
sibly looking for a place to spend a
few weeks where the prices are not
SO exorbitant as on the coast towns.
Others may be looking for some of
Florida's good land on which to raise
high priced food products.
Right now it is up to Ocala to do
something to induce these people to
stay with us. Let them see that this
is an attractive city to look at, for
first impressions are lasting and
also that we are willing to welcome
them and do the fair thing by them.
There are many ways by which this
can be done. and the first thing of all
is to get our tourist clubs, in an active
condition.
If the entering of so many of our
young men into the service of our
government, who largely make up the
membership of our tourist clubs has
practically disorganized it, some ar
rangements should be made right now
to either reorganize or see that the
work is taken up by committee from
our board of trade or woman's club,
or both.
Most of the work necessary to be
done could just as well be accom-
plished by the ladies who have already
proven themselves practical and eff
cient in whatever they undertake.
While in unison with the other cit
les of our nation our thoughts and en-
ergies are mostly given to the great
work of aiding in every way possible
this world struggle for democracy
and permanent peace, we citizens of
0cala must not forget the needs of
our home city. This is our home and
We must be awake to its prosperity.
AS individuals we cannot build the
factories to better our condition by
that means, but we can everyone Of
Us do something to make Ocala more
beautiful, and lend our support to any
cnmmiftaa or nrganizatinn that Will