The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1919-08-06
A FEW MORE WORDS
FROM MR.. FORT

shots and L am done. You, Mr.. EdI-
tor, said you had no desire to butt
into this controversy, and you've hop
ped into the middle of the puddle and
made a splash. No trouble to see
where you are at. I've taken special
notice of our editors position on diff
fernt topics. So pleased have / been
with your position that had reckoned
you the rock of modern days and plac-
ed you on the highest pedestal with
maui in hand to pound upon the mod
ern fallacies. If the law gets in the
way, kick out; Wen call it moral and
the greatest good to the greatest
number. Goodbye, Mr.. Editor, I'm
not going in that direction.
/ suppose Mr.. Rogers is spokesman
for the board. 1t does look like he
could point out some legal points in
refutation of his acts. You'll note I
only raised a legal point in my ar
ticles with no thought that any one
would be so ungenerous as to try to
place me as an obstructionist, trying
to thwart the laudable efforts of our
commissioners in placing property on
the tax roll. Nothing could be fur
ther from my intentions. But / did
wish to point out that the board was
assuming functions contrary to the
law, thus setting a dangerous prece-
dent. Did they do it, and did have
right to kick, etc.? Let's see. They
sent me a tax blank together with
circular letter demanding that fill in
under oath my personal property with
the threat if / failed to do so they
would equalize it at their pleasure and
l would have no redress from their
decision. had already legally assess
ed my property-every bit of it. did
not then. nor do / now. consider they
had any legal right or moral right for
their action. If they have, why don't
they toot it out? / do not propose to
knuckle to them in their effort to
foist upon me any such rot. Now let
them tamper illegally with my prop
erty and as sure as live / will show
them that have redress in the courts.
l believe in the old axiom that the
peoples interest is never safer than
when officials are obeying the law. No
reason that the sanctity of the law
should be trampled under foot by a
few arrogant men. If they are so
Jealous for the peoples interest, why
didn't they take it up with the asses
sor during March when he was in his
office? 1t would have been legally
done and this shameful blotch kept
/ out of our records. Gentlemen of
the board, am not going with you,
nor will support men so radical and
arrogant as you are. Mr.. Editor, Mr..
Rogers was so uncharitable in dis
torting and misquoting my language
and meaning relative to state taxes,
am enclosing clipping from Lake
City paper which gives my views in
this matter. Yours truly,
N. A Fort.
| The Clipping
The increased county valuations pun
upon the tax rolls by the county com.
missioners last week amount to ap.
proximately a quarter of a million
dollars. Based upon last years coun.
ty millage, and the coming years
state millage, the county will receive
tax money in the neighborhood of ar
additional $4,000 and the state $4,000
: In other words, the property ownerI
as the result of increased valuation!
are compelled to cough up a free vii
offering of $4,000 to the state In ordel
that the county may receive 5000
additional tax money. We are inform
ed that the assessors valuations OF
county property is a little less thar
four million dollars. The board coulC
increase the county millage for th'
next year from 1914 to 20 mills anC
practically the same amount of coun
ty tax money would be raised withou
the necessity of putting an increased
valuation upon property, which work.
a hardship upon the people at thii
time.
The advocates of increased valua
tions and unnecessary burdensom'
taxation, argue that this is the result
of the good roads bond issue and tha
the people are now to get taste o.
what bonds are to cost them.
Let no one be deceived by sucl
! iargument, which can be used for N