The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1919-11-12
STUART'S CLOSING SPEECH

Editor Star: With your permission
| will add another few lines to what
have said. You mildly suggest that
| stick to the question, which is. "To
bond or not to bond" / am not aware
tnat I have left the road and gone to
the field in a single instance. l have
shown by indisputable facts that the
present conditions of the country do
not warrant borrowing money to
build roads because of the exorbitant
price of material and labor. | have
shown that we would not get half the
work done now that we would in
normal times. ! have shown that with
taxes already burdensome the county
rate will be doubled if we issue bonds.
| The only real argument | have heard
| in favor of bonding under such condl-
tions is that we want the roads. To
| be sure we want good roads and we
want a lot of other good things We
will not get until times get right, that
| is, until things get cheaper, and they
are not going to get cheaper and
| money is going to be harder to get.
| You want to beware of contracting
debts while money is cheap and every
| thin gelse is high for as sure as you
live you are going to see the dollar
go up and everything else go down,
| so don't vote for these bonds.
/ "A friend said things are better now
| than they have been for a long time.
| He must have had sugar in his coffee
that morning. q didn't.) He said that
the banks were never so full of de-
posits. WhYtMs is proof people are
not investing the money. The capi-
talists can afford to support the bond
issue. 1t will be bonanza. They
can buy the per cent. bonds with
in 100-cent dollars and they are sure
of their interest for it has to be paid.
| But to answer some of the claims
set up. One advocate thinks the
value of his land will increase some
$4,000 on an investment of $25 in taxes
, per year. Rock roads don't always do
! it A tract of some 300 acres with a
E fine rock road right through it sold
under mortgage here for SIS an acre
just recently because the owner could
not get more for it. The land runs up
to the corporate limits of Ocala, too.
Another says he wants the roads so
trucks may compete with railroad
trains. Suppose that is why he fav-
ors bonding regardless of cost-com-
poting with watered stock-but they'll
; be carrying freight on flying ma
chimes before the railroad people find
i out he is running truck. Just as
s. strong argument against bonds to say
e we won't need the bonded roads wlier
{ the air routes open up.
: Another advocate says he has just
el woke up from Rip Van Wrinkle sleeI
e and sees the necessity for voting
bonds for roads. Better take another
nap, colonel. When the settlers fine
that you woke up and voted bonds tt
build roads during a bull panic, they
will go right on to South Florida
where they know when to vote bonds
and when to build roads and get tn,
u worth of their money. When .you
IL wake up again you will find norma
3 conditions prevailing.
: Another is big property owne
- who will pay as much tax as severa
} small property owners and says I an
e for bonds. 1t is quite probable tina
le the small property owner is wis
enough to know that the big ones pas
the "buck" on down to the consumer
and who has better opportunity tha
the contractor and the merchant t
le do so?
ii But, here is why the people go O
ce to South Florida: 1t has been adve1
Is tised throughout the north and wes
n in. every city and hamlet, by the Ey
erglades land companies. that there
t. frost line in Florida-"get below tn
d. frost line" Mythical or not, it has prc
Id duced the effect. Speak of going t
ne Marion county, Ella, up there an
Mt about three out of five will say, "I'l
ed afraid you are not far enough south
r Another says he expects he wi
Eli follow the crowd" Friend, you ha
better vote the dictates of your col