The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1921-12-10
"A CAMPAIGN DOCUMENT

As we remarked yesterday, in re-
gard to the statement of. city affairs
published by the. city council, it was
oaiy campaign document.
Why?
The reason is self-evident. AS it
says itself, the information in it had
ali materialized on the first of last
October. If Messrs. McIver, Winer
and Thomas had desired from a sense
of duty to give it to the people, they
could ard would have given it two
months ago.
Instead they waited until three
days before election, when it is prac-
tically impossible to controvert it,
ard then they give it out as a vote
getter.
What is more than that, they have
compelled the public to pay the ex-
pense of their campaign material
The work was done at their direction,
by the city clerk, who is paid by the
people of Ocala to attend to their
business, and not to compile campaign
documents for the benefit of any can
didates or set of candidates.
1t win also be remembered that
there was year of work that camel
to an end last year, but the council
did not offer the citizens any report
of their stewardship. It wasn't cleo
ton year.
Regarding the. report itself, it is,
to the best of our knowledge, approx
mately correct. Some of the items in
it we can vouch for. We have never
impugned the integrity of Messrs. Nc
liver, Winner and Thomas. We have
simply criticised their policy in some
things, praised it in others. 1t is
simple justice to say that Ocala is
better governed than many otheT'
cities. But that is not extravagant
praise.
After all, there are many sixty
dollar a month clerks who could have
done all Messrs. McIyer, Winer and
Thomas have done and done it at
much less expense to the public. They
have simply collected The peoples
money and spent It. more wisely than
some, less wisely than others. They
have naid off some debts but look at
the taxes They brag that electric
light rates are lower than in other
Florida cities, but they do not allude
tc the fact that with all the improve
ments made and economy enforced the
rates are much higher than they were
few years ago. Gainesville, with a
comparatively out-of date plant, gives
its people better electric service than
Oeala does, at the same rate. And
what is more, Gainesville has had its
present good service for years, while
Ocala has been on the ragged edge up
to a few months ago. The good in
Ccala's electric service is owing far
more to L. B. Mckenzie than to any
councilman.
The document" says:
t'The city of Ocala maintains a rest
room at an annual expense of $1,000;
appropriates $500 8. year to the board
Of trade for booklets; s92S.S6 a year
to Marion County Hospital building
fund. $500 a year for a tourist camp:
$1,000 i year fer Carnegie library;
$500 Il year for band concerts tas
there was no band organized last year
there was NO ore TO pay this sum TOD !;
$50 for parks this has been increas-
ed to $3.50 per year,; employs city
physician to. inspect all diaries and
markets and to make daily inspection
of children IN public schools
This is all true. but why do Messrs.
McIver. Winer ard Thomas brag
about il? Most Of these things were
done before any of them came into
office; the others provided for by the
charter that they practically nullify.
While they were about it, why didn't
they also state that Ocala has police
force and fire department?
The report further says: "Compe-