Gadsden County Times

The Iron Is Hot! Strike Now

The wind is being knocked out of every single one of the arguments which have been advanced in years past as to why the city could not install a swimming pool. With the excuses going one by one into a cocked hat it would appear that now is the time to strike and strike hard to start the ball rolling.

First and foremost of the arguments advanced as to why the pool could not be built was the scarcity of water. With the new water plant ready to start operating in the immediate future that old excuse would look like last year's straw hat if it was brought out again. Water will be plentiful enough that a pool could be refilled as often as necessary without causing any rationing in the amount to be used for the Saturday night bath or for watering the grass either for that matter. So, lack of water is definitely out as a reason for not building a swimming pool.

What about the financial angle? Well, if the powers that be throw their hands abjectly into the air and ask in a sad manner as of yore, "where are we going to get the money?" when approached on the subject there are one or two replies which should do the trick of getting the hands back down again without further fuss or furor. Beginning Nov. 1 and thereafter a five cent tax on every package of cigarettes sold within the city's borders will fatten up the treasury. Of course ways and means could be found to spend this unexpected hand out without building a swimming pool, but it sure would be a good answer to the question of where the money is to come from for a pool.

On top of the cigarette tax money the take from the parking meters is adding up to a tidy sum. So, it looks like the money question should be in good enough shape as to cause no headaches among the city fathers when the shop worn request for a swimming pool is brought up again.

We feel the time is ripe for the request to be removed from the moth balls, brushed off and polished up a bit and once again presented to the city commission. Unless those gentlemen can advance a new batch of reasons why not, it looks like the chances are excellent that something at long last can be done about it.

When you take into consideration the fact that such towns as Cairo, Ga., and Perry and Monticello in Florida, in this immediate vicinity already have municipally owned swimming pools there is no reason under the sun why Quincy could not have one also. There still remains, however, that old bugbear of supervision. Well, evidently these other towns have solved that matter in some fashion and certainly it could be done here.

The iron is hot and perhaps no better time will present itself to strike for that swimming pool.