The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1917-11-19
MR.. RoBERTsoN's LETTER


induced to become a candidate for the
Office of mayor" That is correct. In
duced is a good word. Mr.. Robertson
induced himself.
Mr. Robertson begins by proclaim
ing his loyalty, and denouncing the
would-be patriots who accuse him of
being disloyal. Mr.. Robertson may
be loyal It will be observed, how
ever, that the few disloyal men among
US, including the patriot who wants
to see the American flag torn to
shreds, and the boys of Company A
come home in collins, are among his
warm supporters.
Mr.. Robertson says he is today
planting and growing food crops and
doing more to conserve, aid and assist
this government in carrying the war
to a successful conclusion than
dozen of any of the hot-air artists
and curbstone patriots who rant and
foam at the mouth over the question
of my lack or want of patriotism"
This is good patriotism good for
the country and also good for Mr..
Robertson. It will be observed when
the said crops are in that Mr.. Robert
son will charge the full market price
for them. This is patriotism with a
big profitable patriotism.
Mr.. Robertson says don't let the
question of patriotism sidetrack other
issues. Then why should he give it
the right of way. If it has nothing to
do with the matter. why give it so
much space?
Mr.. Robertson says that he at first
opposed CONSUMPTION, but that when
it became the law of the land he
withdrew his opposition. A lot of
other patriots ceased to oppose con-
scription about the same time he did.
Some who kept on opposing it are in
Jail and the others are scared into
being good.
Mr.. Robertson says he has advised
and urged young men to volunteer
Altho' we have skirmished around a
right smart with the volunteers, we
heard nothing of Mr.. Robertson's
merits as recruiting officer. The
opposite opinion seemed to prevail.
Mr.. Robertson says he is willing to
work in harmony with the city coun>
| ell. We can all remember the brand
of harmony that he dealt out during
his previous administrations. There
was a row on with the council, or
somebody else, all the time. Of
course it never was Mr.. Robertson's
fault. He was always right.
| Mr.. Robertson refers to the water
less water plant. He is as much re-
sponsible for that plant as anybody.
When the water plant was in the
hands of a private company, he was
among the most severe of its critics.
1t was under his administration that
the old plant was bought. It may be
\ possible, however, that he opposed
| building a new one. We are inform
ed by one of his close acquaintance
that he said the old plant was all the
plant we needed. At any rate, the
enterprise of building the new plant
was set on foot and started under his
administration. And his remark
about waterless plant is pure fab
rication. The city has plenty of wa
/ ter-more than it ever had. and it
costs less.
Mr.. Robertson's criticism of the De
La Vergne engine at the plant is cor
| rect. The engine is good deal like
his administration as n1ayor-can't
do anything without making devil
of a lot of fuss about it. We will
either silence the engine or get rid
of it, and if we keep Mr.. Robertson
out of the mayors office, we will
have a comparatively peaceful town.
Mr.. Robertson might have kept the
De La Vergne engine from being
saddled on the town, however, If his
disposition to be contrary had been
in good working order at the proper
time. The change In plans that caus-
ed the engine to be substituted for the
one first proposed was made while he
was mayor. It was made in Septem-
Der, 1916, before DR.. Chace had con-
sented to be candidate.
We are more disposed to be fair
than Mr.. Robertson, so we don't think
either he or the council is responsible
for the noisy engine. That was the
fault of the engineers. But If Mr..
Robertson had rushed to the rescue
and told US the engine would make
such. hell-raising racket, we have no
| doubt that he would have started an
investigation that would have kept
that piece of machinery out. of the
plant. But he was asleep at the
switch. Or he didn't know anything
about the engine. When it comes to
the De La Vergne engine, Mr.. Robert
son had better set the engine a good
example and be silent.
Mr.. Robertson makes kick on the
city rock crusher. The rock crusher,
so we are told, is good piece of
machinery. It has done good work,
and is doing good work now. The city
might have purchased better one,
or one as good, for less money. But
if it might, why did not Mr.. Robert
son object in time. The crusher. ike
the De La Vergne engine, was chosen
during his administration. The coun-
ell sanctioned its purchase in October,
1916. Why didn't Mr.. Robertson APP
pear before the council at that time,
tell its members it was an inferior