The Ocala evening star., 1919-05-20
NEGLECTING oCALA's INTEREST


ing to keep tourists and the state
capital out of Ocala, so we think it is |
no more than fair that we remind the
board of one instance in which IL has
greatly neglected our city's interest, |
and another in which it is showing |
great apathy.
The state of Florida has decided
that it must build another hospital for
its insane. 1t wants to put up an in
stitution in which those unfortunatcs
shall have the best of treatment. 1t
wants to establish the institution
in a healthy locality near large and
up-to-date town in the central part of
the state. The committee in charge
of the matter favored Ocala. the gov
ernor and his cabinet favored 0cala
and the chances are about two in
three that Ocala could have been
chosen if our business men, mostly
represented by our Board of Trade,
had exerted themselves.
This institution would be of con-
siderable business value to the peo-
pie of our city. Putting up the build
ings would have brought a small
army of worl1men and considerable
amount of trade to the town. After
the buildings were up and the pa-
tients established in them, their food
and a good deal of their other sup
plies, to the amount of about $4,000
month, would have been bought
from our merchants. This institution
would be worth almost as much to
Ocala as the state capital, and great
deal more than any tourist business
We are likely to secure.
The Star some months ago called
this matter to the attention of the
Board of Trade. Tt met no encourage
ment. Why? A majority of the fif
teen or twenty members that control
the board had childish dread of hav-
ling Ocala referred to in connection
with the lunatic asylum. Their sem
sitive nerves recoiled from the pros
Ipect of being joshed about it when
they received letters from their
friends or met them away from home.
Some Americans and probably peo-
pie of several other Christian nations
have the bad habit of ridiculing in
sane people. Turks, Chinese, Indians
and the savages of Africa, look upon
them as ''those whom God has forgot
ten to bless" and treat them with re-
spect. The insane are sick in mind as
other people are sick in body, and a
hospital for them is as honorable as
Johns Hopkins. People who make a
jest of an insane asylum have the
same idea of wit that bellcow has
Of music.
In Alabama is the pretty and flour
fishing city of Tuscaloosa. 1t is a nice
town as well as an enterprising one,
and for the last half century it has
been the location of the state insane
asylum. Nobody ever hears any ridi-
cule showed at Tuscaloosa. Some of
the best people in America live there
and they are proud of their town.
Do the people of Ocala think the
Board of Trade has acted for their in
terest in this matter?
And here's something else:
During the last Congress, Senator
Fletcher and Congressman Clark, in
spite of strong opposition, had an ap-
preparation made for the Oklawaha
L was a little appropriation, just
enough to start work 1t was the un-
derstanding that if the river was
utilized, if some showing could be
made of commerce on it, the work
would go on; if not, it very likely
wouldn't.
1t has been almost three months
since Congress adjourned, and nothing
has been done toward putting any
traffic ON the Oklawaha In less than
seven months Congress will begin
making up its appropriation bills. II
, will be republican Congress, and oul
senators and representative will not
have the influence with it they hac
with the last Congress-. If, when the
committee comes to the Oklawaha ap
preparation, there are no freight
boats on the river, and no immediate
prospect of any, that appropriation
will be cut out and won't go back il
again for years, if ever
The boats that can be most ad
vantageously used on the Oklawah;
can probably be built on its banks, bu
1t will take months to build them
Hadn't the Board of Trade better ge
busy on this proposition at once.
One of the conditions of sustained
Improvement is that docking facili
ties shall be provided. Has anythin.
been done toward preparing for thi
Essential? Another thing to conside
is that if the business men of Ocala
most of whom are members of tn
board, would get together in al
agreement to have as much of thei
goods as possible brought by tn
river, some boatmen of other cite
would very likely be glad<to provid
the vessels to carry the freight. VIII
is this not taken up and debated wit
: some of the energy devoted to les
important subjects? Debate is an in
; dispensable preface to any communit
movement, so it had better be com
4 menced at once.
\ The Star has always been staunc