The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1921-09-23
SENATOR LODGES PATRIOTISM
Editor Ocala Banner:


| think your editorial under above
caption in the Banner Of 9th inst. is
very unfair to Senator Lodge, and
places construction Of his attitude
towards national appropriations for
the construction of public roads that
is at variance with his speech, and
had you published it, VERY short), you
would not have published the editorial,
at least to do so, would not have been
wise. Any one reading Mr.. Lodges
remarks will see that it's "purport"
is not in opposition to the national
government making an appropriation
for the building of good roads.
His opposition was to the proposal
TO appropriate hundreds of millions
at this time, when the federal treasury
is almost bankrupt, and the people of
this country are made to contribute by
taxation town, city, country. state
and nation to the very limit to main
tain the absolutely necessary expens-
es, and am sorry to say many super
1uities That is the sum of the SEN
ator's aim in the eyes of the leeches
that are now, and have been for
years preying on the people of all
the above divisions of our govern
ment; and the congress is at this very
time put to its wits end" to know
how to raise the money, that is some,
a very few are. The majority do not
care what distress exists so they can
get the support for reelection of the
organized beneficiaries of these funds.
Not only so at the time the speech in
question was delivered, there were
three bills pending providing systems
for public roads, and it was but good
sense to wait until it was known what
the congress would do with these
measures. Again, charges were made
with much to sustain them in con-
gress by responsible members that the
states were wasting, we permitting
it to be done, the money and material
already donated to them for roads
So | submit that under the circum-
stances it shows a sense of patriotism
to wait little while in this matter
of building Peacock Roads for our
tourist friends to ride over. You
refer to the fact that because Mass
achusetts and other eastern states
are "criss-crossed and grid-ironed with
good roads, hence opposition to the
appropriation. Senator Lodge did not
oppose it on such grounds. If he had,
we might to some extent excuse him
since those states. especially his state
and New York built these roads them
selves.
You refer to the appropriation for
the army and navy hardly support
your contention, since the army has
been cut down immensely and the
bulk of the appropriations for the
navy was to preserve the outlay al
ready made on new vessels. So far
as danger of war is concerned, how
does the Banner know when war
may some. How many persons ex-
pected the world war; to come so
soon? Not handful What a fix we
would be in today with our eastern
possessions had we no navy?
You ask what would have been the
consequences had Patrick Henry and
the men of rs waited? We don't
know. We do know that the time had
come to strike. and they struck. We
do know that this is not the time to
build roads. And with all respect to
the esteemed Editor of the Banner, /
don't think anybody thinks otherwise,
although it is good time to buy
county bonds perfectly safe if legal
at 80 cents on the dollar, when Others
no BETTER are bringing IS cents.
Neither do we know what was Felix's
fate. All we know is that he was
not ready to become Christian.
Your editorial gives us the milk
IN the cOc0anut" when 1t refers to the
money going into the channels Of
trade No man Is a patriot who
thinks more of the dollar that he can
get out of his countrymen than he
does OF their welfare
You close the editorial by your
oft repeated reference to sectional
ism Does not the Banner know that
the fairest history of the United
States, including the slavery question,
the one showing the least sectional
prejudice, is Senator Lodges. The
highest eulogy paid to General Robt.
2. Lee. save possibly Ben Hill's, in
my judgment is found in that book.
But there is one allusion in that
editorial that to me brushes aside its
defects. and makes me happy, and is
that Won refer ia me- 40