The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1940-07-09
INTRODUCING, MR.. MUcHMoNI

iCaCHIhiS IhC Cldoo VI pcopIC WIN have
come, and will continue to come, to our
city TO invest in property, many to estab-
lish homes, and, in general, to bring much
needed, capital for construction of new
edifices and commercial buildings of vari-
Gus sorts
Every growing city, such as ours, has
its Mr.. MuchmOni. and, by-and-large, he is
given royal welcome. All cities are
anxious to help him in every way they
can. His welfare is catered to. He comes.
as we say, to invest money which will be
spent for materials bought in the COM
munity and for the hire of all classes of
labor, both skilled and unskilled
As the name implies, Mr.. Muchmoni
has accumulated considerable wealth. He
gained his wealth by hard work, in the
first place, and then, later, by carefully
investing his earnings in worthwhile en-
deayOrs of many kinds. Chiefly, he has
chosen the real estate field for most of his
investments where profits returned a fair
rate of interest.
In the past he has helped many an ex-
panGing municipality to grow by investing
in new houses and apartment buildings.
Especially was this so where all signs
pointed to definite upturns in population.
Coming resort cities were his speciality.
The attractions offered by the future
Key West proved alluring to Mr.. Much
moni, so he came here. He bought prop
erty here and other lots there. He reno
waited some buildings to house the future
residents of Key West.
Being a careful investor, however, Mr..
MuchmOni paid strict attention to the vari-
Gus influences that would have bearing on
whether or not he would be protected from
possible discrimination in any way. In the
first place-the local tax situation met
with his entire disapprOval. Being a tax
payer on much prOperty-never a tax
dOdger-he contemplated the chances of
making a fair profit when their existed the
danger of excessive taxation in view of the
situation here where so few made any pre-
tense of paying their taxes.
Then, again-he made sure that his
standpoint of proper coming regulations,
and those, enforced with rigor. Here he
found that a new ordinance, entirely salts
factory, and comparable with similar acts
on the books of other cities in which he
had invested, had just been passed. Be-
ing wise to such things, however, he de-
layed just a bit before starting extensive
operations to see whether the proper en-
forcing machinery would be set up.
Lo and behold-what was the first
thing that greeted his astonished eyes! A
violation of the coming ordinance when it
had only just been made into law. And,
to make matters worse-a combination of
circumstances that sanctioned the VIOLA
ton.
Despite Mr. Muchmoni's opinion that
Key West was on the upward trend-the
above related happening was just about
too much for him. Coupled with the des-
perate tax situation, he found it hard to
stomach the coming law infractiOn and sub
sequent uphOlding of it. He prepared to
move elsewhere. He delayed, in the hopes
that the error might be corrected, for, as
he pointed out, such serious matter as
coming regulation needed strict enforce
ment at the outset of its existence. This,
from psychological standpoint, was most
essential.
How could Mr.. Muchmoni know, with
any degree of certainty whether the type
buildings he intended to build in Key West
would be properly protected from the
danger-of erection of undesirable, COM
mercial structures right alongside? True
-zoning regulations called for no such
buildings But-here is one violation right
at the outset to establish highly danger
Gus precedent. He didn't feel he could or
wanted to take the chance. Past expert
ence served him well in this regard.
Mr.. Muchmoni was reminded that
The Citizen had agitated for coming over
a.. IL t~@n4