The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1920-08-24
PASSING THE MAIN POINT

The Grower seems TO be Sbandlng
almost alone on the question of state
bonds for good roads and more of
then--at least among the press OF
the state. This is singular state Of
affairs to say the least. for we are
convinced that the move is so much
for the good OF Florida as whole
that we wonder at the attitude Of the
editors in this respect. It is not our
intention to find fault with their
convictions Rather would we appeal
to them on their cooperative spirit
side, which we know exists in great
and splendid degree That section of
the state which has not kept in stride
with the. other is more to be pitied
than condemned. Their non-progres-
sive spirit he's not all been caused BY
parsimony, nor has it all been caused
BIZ lack Of desire to open the country
BY the construction Of highways.
We seem to be at an important
point IN the history Of Florida, and
the time has come for us TO declare
that we are either for the state as a
whole or do something decidedly I'M
brotherly, to say the least. There is
q soul-sickening object lesson IN the
last census, for where population
dwindles land values do the same.
You will say. If they had built good
roads, opened up the country to more
settlement they too might have
climbed We say the sameI but at
the same time we don't say Let
them build their own roads; we have
built ours" Such spirit will never
place the state of Florida in the niche
that is rightfully hers, nor will it
build up the state as a whole. Those
backward counties have not the land
values at present to keep up with
other sections. Their road systems
are pitifully inadequate, and for this
reason they stand in the anomalous
position of being friends in need. "
Exceedingly fertile and adaptable
is this. tag-end section. That no one
can deny. Some districts are making
heroic efforts to help themselves, and
they will have roads and fine high
waysbut they need encourAg cement,
not disparagement The object les
son Of California is so much before
US that we cannot help again refer
ring to that most progressive and
"nan-made" state. California has
achieved greatness through concerted
effort If had its backward sections
the same lis we have now, but it OPEN
ed them up and made the state as a
whole. The men Of California came
to turning point like that we face
today and chose the right way
and made a whole state They knew
that piecemeaI efforts and sectional
chickering's would get them nowhere,
This Is our state. Every bit Of its
thousand miles of beautiful shoreIine
and that which is encompassed there
ia il ours. TIC we are the richer then
our glory IS greater. But let US help
our brothers who are poorerl
It IS no argument to be able to say:
Florida is free Of bonded indebted
ness; let US keep her so" It would be
just ais sensible to say: Nov that
am out Of debt / will let the house go
without paint; will do without
clothing; / viii keep my children
from school; ! win 90 without eat
ing" New York city, the most pro-
gressiye city in the world, has bond
ed indebtedness of over two hundred
millions. The city has over four
times the population Of the state of
Florida and vet thinks nothing Of
bonding for ten times as much as the
proposed bond issue for Florida We
have seen mo good and substantial
reasons why we should not take this
step, and ais our authority we are
going to quote some Of them: It will
cost every taxpayer in Florida $l00';;
This is only move by the Florida
Auto Association The move is only
one to establish more roads for joy
riders; We don't believe in placing
such an amount IN the hands of the
legislature; How do we know this
money Will be handled judiciously :
Only a convenience for antoists =
In contravention to these silly ar,
guments digest this: Here IL chance
to open Well-nigh inaccessible places;
to increase our per capita wealth 4
thousand fold; to place our lands in