The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1919-11-25
sUBsCRIPTIoN RATES
OPEN LETTER TO
MR.. JOHN ID. ROBERTSON
Mr.. John D. Robertson,

Sir-Almost three weeks ago, when
Mr.. Robert Anderson Jr. had an
nounced himself a candidate for the
Office Of mayor, and you were well
known to be a candidate, tho you had
not announced, and for that matter
have not announced yet, Mr.. John
Taylor, at the request of number of
ether citizens, drew up set of ques-
tons addressed. to all candidates for
the said Office, and had them printed
in the Star. The questions were as
follows:
"First: Are you in favor of carry
ing out the city manager charter in
spirit and in fact?
Second: Are you in favor of i'm
proving and extending the city cleo
trio light and water plant and bond
ing the city for this purpose?
"Third: Are you in favor of strict
enforcement of the prohibition law
and ordinances affecting the moral
condition of the city,"
Your opponent said he did not
think parts of the questions applied
to a candidate for the mayors Office;
nevertheless he answered them as
promptly as his battery always an
swered the enemy's fire in the days
when he and his comrades stood be-
tween our peaceful land and the
Huns. He answered them not only
without hesitation but without evas-
ion, taking his stand on the law and
what he believed to be best for the
city, and without taking into account
who his answers would please and
who they would offend.
A good many Ocala people have
expressed to the Star the opinion that
you also should answer these ques-
tons, and this paper tenders you
space for that purpose, and for any
other statement or argument you de-
sire to make.
Some people say that these ques-
tons should not have been asked and
a candidate has right to refuse to
answer them. This is wrong. No
candidate for public Office has any
right to refuse a courteous question
on public affairs from any citizen. A
citizen may ask an irrelevant ques-
ton; if so, it is the privilege of the
candidate to show such irrelevancy,
but if he refuses to answer it is a
sure sign that he is afraid, or that
he has taken an arrogant, "public-be-
damned" attitude toward those voters
who do not agree with him.
You have not answered these ques-
tons; you have not announced any
policy-you have done nothing but go
around from one voter to another,
ask him for his vote and possibly
give some of your reasons. You have,
in short, followed the gumshoe pol
icy. This policy is legitimate but 1t
is not salubrious. 1t Is unfair to the
voters, because no voter knows but
what the candidate tells him one
thing ard another voter another-in
fact, it is seldom that voters compare
notes without finding out that that
very thing has oeen done. 1t is lot
honorable to a candidate, because no
man in an american city needs to do
a.2y such thing. and the invariable be-
Lief of the citizen tat such policy
VII result, If successful, IN carrying
out some crooked purpose, is sustain
Ell by long ana cosby experience.
There are a considerable number of
Cur citizens anG a good many votes
behind tresc qL-stioTs. It might pay
yen to answer Them. Inc thir4 ques-
tim particularly. 1t is reported
around town. ard generally believed
that you az tying co win votes by
pvomising to all)w the rest. icted dis
tr;ct to be restored. IF tn:s rekor5 is
untrue, yon~ 81. 5nce IS doing you
harm. Whatever nay be the opinion
CO people a. u the auvisaoi.ity o. such
e.. institntlcn. 30 Candidate Tor mayor
h,ss any riSa' e "1,- s4ch , promise,
O.. infer such a loii2y, for it IS plainly
against the law. Under your admin
i@vration, which Ccdla has enjoyed q
RI spite from f22' almost three years,
the restricted dis5rict was unre-
stricted. Disorder, drunkenness and
disease reiGaeG rampant. and tae
only pretensc Ct regulating It was to
occasionally haul the unfortunate
women into court and fine them-a
Matchmaking system of license. The
Impression prevails that you are 60
irg to aIlow-cr try TO allow-this
system to resume. Perhaps the i'm
preston does you injustice. If so,