The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1920-04-15
. T. WILSON DEFENDS
THE STATE CHEMIST

Editor Star: | don't like to pay
taxes any better than the rest of the
FIoridians, but | submit to taxes when
| know they are for the good of the
public at large, even though they 10
not directly benefit me.
Mr. Hampton is placing himself in
the class of an amateur reformer
when he suggests some of his re-
tIenchments. | have not time to go
through the entire list as l am not
personally acquainted with all of the
details in the various departments. If
Mr.. Hampton is as much in error re-
garding the other items as he is the
two / shall mention his views should
be consigned to the waste basket.
The secretary of state is the Gus
todian of the state capitol building. He
has an appropriation of $1440 for
three janitors to clean the said build
ing and keep the grounds in good con-
dition.
| submit the matter to the general
public that the state capitol and its
grounds is at least three times as
large as the courthouse and it's
grounds. To say that it is only one
tenth as large is certainly absurd.
The state chemist received an ap-
preparation of $22,4 for 1920. The
state chemist is an executive officer
charged with the enforcement of the
, fertilizer, stock, food and pure food
laws. Mr. Hampton's considerable
! investigation" must have been very
/ 1n1 RI RI + hot
| it was not part of his official duties
to ''give assistance to people having
need of chemist"
| The purpose of the law is not to
catch criminals, but to prevent crime.
| Let us look at the fertilizer law for a
moment. No farmer living can look
at a fertilizer and tell anything con-
corning the omunt of potash, phos-
phoric acid or ammonia in it. Neither
can he use it on his crop and tell how
great deficit there was because, pre-
lparation of the soil. the season, plant
idisease, etc, are vital factors in crop
production and only an expert can
even make a good guess at what fac
tor or factors are most responsible
for a crop failure.
If anyone believes that all the man
jufacturers of fertilizer are now sc
igood that they would no longer try
to defraud the farmers If there were
inc fertilizer law and no state chemist
charged with the duty of examining
the farmers fertilizer free to see thai
= it is as represented, why let him worl
to have the department abolished.
! enune producer and bears no part il
the increased millage that Mr.. Hamp
/ ton so much regrets. This depart
: ment turns back from the sale of fer
: tilizer and stock feed stamps owe
I, S6O,O00 more than it takes out of tn,
! general revenue fund and if the de
) partment were abolished this none.
would have to be made by an increases
t Imillage In other words it would be
: come a direct tax instead of an in
5 direct tax. Which would you rathe
= pay, Mr.. Taxpayer?
= The fertilizer manufacturers coul
:. steal from the farmers of Florida te
times as much money as the stat
j chemists department costs by leavin
e out of their formulas one-tenth of on
S per cent Of the ammonia that the
"a are guaranteed to contain.
o The chemical department is wort
g a hundred times more than it costs
| the farmers and taxpayers of tn
= state. Frank L. Wilson.