The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1921-12-30
THE STATE MUST LIVE

There can be little room for debate
on any question raised in my former
article, but now touch upon ground
where opinion may divide.
In recent years our laws show many |
innovations, and too much attention is |
given to the new and insubstantial,
while vital matters are neglected. Ev-
cry new field for taxation has been
invaded, yet for over forty years the
public has struggled under the same
obsolete system for the assessment
of taxes on lands.
What a rich harvest it has produe-
ed for the lawyers! it gives US food
for our tables and raiment for our
bodies. Lawyers from all other states
tell me that by the wisdom of their
laws they are denied these blessings.
We who are favored by this policy
earn what we get; but intelligence
and the interest of the state demands
that we adopt the long used methods
of some other state whose fortunate
citizens are escaping such burdens.
From the taxes on lands we gain
our greatest revenue and these taxes
effect all, SO bad or costly methods in
this vital matter have the greatest
economic effect upon industry and
production. Why then do we continue
to use grossly costly and cuznber-
some method of some forty years
standing? The answer to this ques-
ton is: First, the work and and en-
ergy entailed by such an undertaking
/ is easily worth several times the
amount we pay a legislator; second,
should some patriot spend his money
and his time on such a work he might
/ fairly expect to meet with cold favor
at Tallahassee, for experts and poll
ticians move along different lines;
third, the lawyers, the newspapers,
| the abstract companies and many
county officers would have an interest
to oppose it. By this / would not
impute to one class of citizens any
more of selfshness than is possessed
by another, but merely chronicle a
fact.
4 Public interest demands the great
lest possible simplicity and certainty
about land matters, and when uncer-
tainty about titles exists, industry is
retarded and lawsuits are invited;
and after all our endless formalities
. a tax deed is just the beginning of a
lawsuit.
q The wisdom shown by our fore
! fathers in drafting the federal consti-
tuition is the admiration of the world.
Knowing that caution and sound
judgment were more the attributes
, of maturer years than of youth, and
to safeguard our rights under that
, charter of liberty, they there provided
!, that none under twenty-five should
sit in Congress and none under thirty
should sit in the Senate. The wisdom
of this provision has stood unchaI-
!, lenged for more than hundred years
The Florida legislature in one ses,
sion is probably called upon to con.
/ slider more bills than was our national
: Congress in its first ten terms. Ii
f, those old days, too, life was simple
: and laws were simple and few, and
{ the legislator had abundant time t.
y give thought to every measure. The
6 surest aid to talent is time to reason
n and think, for without this, talent
5 avails little and will mar itself anC
!. others if employed in public life.
i While we all admire the daring anC
), energy of our young men. and it af
t fords US abundant hope for the future
e yet this may in part account for the
e flood of bills introduced each session
t at Tallahassee. The prudent anC
:. cautious are given no time to ref1ecf
e and give away under an avalanche o.
complex questions raised by al
known forms of legislation that dar
J, ing and energy can suggest. Bill:
s relating to many sciences and trade:
f are boldly vouched for by their spon
n S0rS in tho mad scramble for %n1,