The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1920-09-03
SHALL FLORIDA HAVE GOOD
ROADS?
CONTINUED from Page Two)

| nc IdllIOduo arc AloJuu6iA6 sAS
temper of the people. They have for
/ gotten what the people can do when
aroused. Only few years ago the
House of Representatives of Florida
unanimously passed resolution TO
the effect that railroad-owned news
papers were a great curse to Florida
and they are a curse when they at
tempt to serve the railroads to the
detriment of the people.
Florida is weary of retrogresslon
] and she is going to have public high
/ ways creditable to the state. The %
server is not much possessed OF TINS
worlds goods, but it is rich In good
advice, and in this "Golconda OF gray
matter are a million dollars worth
of suggestions, and a generous heart
prompts giving them away free. Now
here is a suggestion to the railroads
onwing and operating Florida news
papers.
No one questions the right of the
legislature in the matter of taxation.
No one questions the right of the
legislature to say how the taxes must
be applied.
The railroads, should they defeat
the bond issue could, by legislative
enactment, be forced to pay the neces-
sary taxes to be applied to building
good roads all over Florida. THE
RAILROADS MAY OWN SOME
NEWSPAPERS BUT THEY DO NOT
OWN THE FLORIDA LEGIsLA-
TURE.
The men who comprise the next
Florida legislature are big men who
have Florida's best interests at heart.
They know that years ago the rail
roads were granted hundreds of thou,
sands of acres of choice Florida lands.
They know that inadequate and unfair
railroad rates result in Florida pro-
duce being sold in northern cities
cheaper than in Jacksonville. They
know that Florida good roads means
unprecedented prosperity.
There are 5000 miles of railroad
track in Florida, and an assessed
valuation of $1,000 per mile. The
re ads consequently in this state are
worth at the lowest estimate $6c,0O0,-
900.
Tweny thousand dollars Fer mile
world not be excessive but on the con-
trs.ry very small in comparison to the
actual worth. This would me2L $780,
00G 600 worth of property which
through honest and just taxation,
and honest and just application would
form justifiable picking grounds" to
build the good roads of Florida should
the railroads succeed in defeating the
coca roads bond issue.
Frank o. Miller stands among Flor
'da's most thoughtful and legal men
His work already for Florida fer
good roads entitle him to a moru-
r1ent He and others in the last Iegis-
iatnre have proved pa.iic.Lders for
tie people. The Observer have in
these men great confidence, and be.
lleVe that the people Of Florida will
find way to give Florida the good
roads needed and deserved. The
best solution is through the bond is
sue, which the railroads are fighting.
| The last legislature is on record
about good roads and the method to
be applied to get them. The next
legislature will have large majority
of good road advocates, and if the
railroads should defeat the bond issue
they will find a way to secure the
desired means.
Evidences recently suggest on the
part of the railroads the "Boetian
pig" Of which Pindar stigmatized as
IAN oligarchy unrestrained, and prone
TO Cypress and crush.''
When it comes to the interests of
the people of Florida The Observer
Will be Hellenic in it's fortitude,
Spartan in it's courage, and a Pythias
in its loyalty.
Scion. one Of the master minds of
the world, just before he died in Ath-
ems said: ut is easier to repress the
advance Of tyranny, but when il is
established it is more glorious to up
root it, The Observer prefers the
easier way just now, but Florida must
have good notwithstanding OBJ
server.
The Constitutional Road Tax
Under the caption: who Would
Pay for Good Roads?" The Gaines.
vile Daily News says:
The question is frequently asked.
Who would pay for the good roads