The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1920-05-12
QUESTIONS FOR A CANDIDATE
Mr.. A. C. Blowers,

O6nQ1Q3L& LOT Representative
Dear Sir-Nobody realizes better
than the Star that since coming
| among as you have made a good and
useful citizen. genuine hustler and
sturdy advocate of public-spirited
work. However. sometimes, a good
man takes the wrong track on mat
| ter of public interest, and when he
does so he does more harm than q
bad man. You will therefore pardon
the Star if it asks you a few ques-
| tons:
The last legislature, which was the
| most extravagant since the days OF re.
construction, passed joint resolution,
proposing to the people that they
vote an amendment to Section 6 of
Article 9 of the constitution, relating
| to taxation and finance, which resolu-
ton was worded as follows:
blouse Joint Resolution 279: The
legislature shall have power to pro-
vide for issuing state bonds only for
the purpose of repelling invasion or
suppressing insurrection. or for the
purpose of redeeming or refunding
bonds already issued at lower rate
of interest, or for the purpose of &C
quiring, building and maintaining a
system of good roads and bridges
throughout this state under such reg
ulations as may be prescribed by an
act of the legislature; Provided, that
any bond issues authorized in pur-
suance hereof for a system of good
roads and bridges shall not exceed in
amount five (5) per cent. of the total
tax assessment of the state at the
time of ISSUE"
This is the most pernicious amend
ment ever proposed by a legislature
to the present constitution. You will
note that it is provided that any bond
issues mote the plural) shall not ex-
coed in amount five per cent. of the
total tax assessment of the state at
the time of issue. Mote that it says
at the time of issue.)
This clearly leaves it open for each
legislature to issue an amount of
bonds equal to per cent. of the total
tax assessment of the state at the
time of issue!
/ Again, flood for >thought) what 10
meant by the expression "total tax
assessment of the state?" Does it
mean total valuation, or total amount
of state tax at such time.
Another question. the greater the
millage (if it means amount of taxi
the greater the issue of bonds. Where
would it end?
Il Now, Mr.. Blowers, the State Auto
mobile Association, when it met here
a few days ago, endorsed this joint
resolution. You are a prominent and
energetic member of this association.
'lYoa are it's first vice president. The
Star has not heard of your opposing
this resolution, which if the people
vote for it will enable the legislature
; you aspire to be a member of, and
: any succeeding legislature, to lay an
other tax on the other heavy taxes
, they already have to bear. The
huckleberry and cream legislatures OF
reconstruction days never dreamed Of
: such a vast graft. Even the extrav-
agant and corrupt legislatures of New
, York and Pennsylvania would have
hesitated to propose that the people
of their states grow such a melon for
their cutting.
: Did you vote with the majority for
this intended robbery of the people,
|, Mr.. Blowers? Did you vote against
it ? Ii you were against it. why didn't
you get up and say SO? You had in
fuence and weight in that convention
la vigorous speech from you might
have defeated it. Did you favor ii
then and favor it now? Or did you
favor it then and oppose it now-and
if SO, why your change of heart?
Pardon this inquisition, Mr.. Blow
ers. but the people of Marion county
don't want to send to the next legis-
; lature any man who will increase
taxes. 1t wants to send the other
. kind
Another matter, and then the class
will be dismissed:
There is move on foot to induce
the next legislature to pass no-fence
der magazine, is q good thing in its
place. We favor tin incorporated
towns and thickly settled rural dis
tricts, where the farmers can lap their
outer fences, if they want to, without
any law.
But we don't favor it for the tens
, OF thousand of square miles that
would be of no use whatever if cattle
and hogs didn't have the run of them,
and where a no-fence law would take
the taste of milk and meat out of the
, mouth of many a poor mans child.
We are informed that you a short
time ago expressed yourself in favor
. of no-fence. If you did, are you still
of that way of thinking, and if you
are not have you changed your mind
or have you always been that way?
We offer you free, line for line, the
same amount of space taken up by
this article for reply and can assure
lyoe the people will find it interesting
reading.
SEEDS!