The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1918-11-02
BRINSON FIRES HIS
LAST BROADSIDE

Editor Star: Before proceeding
with the discussion as to the merits
OF the proposed amendment and such
little sidelights as may add touch of
interest, | want to make acknowledge
ment of your generosity of space and
fair treatment in this particular and
to express my appreciation for same.
At different times you have re-
ferred to the number of people who
have expressed to you their opposi-
tion to the amendment. This may be.
do not know how many are support
ing it nor opposing it as l have no
time for canvassing the public pulse.
All the time l can spare from you is
taken up in trying to. get teachers to
take the place of those twenty that
we are short and none to take their
places.
(If you can't pay what teachers you
have, why do You scuffle to get some
nnore.-Editor.)
The teachers are neither fools, cry
babies as you call them, tenderfeet
nor sissies-not even "sobsisters," as
you so cynically call them.
beg pardon for butting in, Mr..
Brinson, but we haven't called teach
ers nor anybody else fools during this
discussion. Neither have we called
them sissies nor tenderfooted. In fact,
we are afraid some of them aren't
even tenderhearted-not when we are
around, anyhow. We did not call any
body sob sister We said you should
be one. "Sob sister," by the way, is
not dishonorable appefation. 1t ap-
plies to the reporter on the staff of
big paper who writes the tear stuff
the stories that bring the weeps-
and you would make good one. Pro
ceed, Mr.. Brinson.-Editor.)
They are simply quitting the work
just as fast as they can get out Of ii
and very few are preparing to take
their places. This no doubt suits you
exactly but | cannot conceive of the
prospect suiting the great body of the
people of Florida who have children
that they do not wish to raise and
turn loose in the world in ignorance
| have not uttered a word that
could be construed as meaning that
we could or would undertake new
buildings now We simply want some
way open for the future building
that must be DONE Come out openly
and tell these people that you do not
want them to. have school houses nol
teachers.
(Couldnt do it, Mr. Brinson, moi
even to please you. We want the
people to have everything that is gooo
for them and nothing that is bad
That is why we don't want them taxed
to death. By the way, if you didn'1
sometimes build a $4,000 school
house where one for $1,000 would dc
as well, you could pay your teachers
more.-Ed.)
Quite number OF. people freely ad
NIT that the teachers are insufficient
l. paid but they think there is som,
way it can be done without consti
tutional amendment They are homes
in this but not informed. Do you no
recall that number of years agt
when the Florida Indian war claims
were settled and there was a surplus
of money the legislature passed al
act giving state aid to certain schools
5000 to schools of the rank of tn,
Ocala school and $3.50 to schools O
| lesser rank? These schools receive,
| this state aid for few years and /;
case was brought up to the suprem,
court from Santa Rosa county askin,
that the state treasurer be restraine'
from paying out these funds to tn
schools upon the ground that the &C
was unconstitutional. 1t was set vi
that as the constitution was explici
in specifying the sources of the schoo
funds the inference was that the leg
islaturs had no power to appropriate
other monies for school purposes. TIL
contention was upheld by the suprem
court and the. treasurer was restraine,
from making further payments AM
tie state aid was lost.
(We think it would have been
good play to lynch that fellow from
Santa Rosa county He was one o
those animals you call "dog in tn
manger," wasn't he? We want tn
state divided at the Suwannee rive
anyhow.-Ed.)
No, sir, there are just two ways o
securing more school funds and tw