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"able to pay the taxes. I should, therefore, be allowed to dislodge those that cannot pay their rent, and without going thruogh so much trouble. It is not justice to expect taxes to be paid when you cannot collect your rents.
"There is not much hope in Ybor City. The cigar factories are on a continuous decline. The factory of Corral & Wodiska had 1500 persons working, today it has only some 150 or 200 persons.
"The railroad between Tampa and Jacksonville had over 40 men working daily along the tracks, keeping the grass from growing over the rails, seeing that the tires along the tracks were well kept, etc. Today they do not have a single man doing this.
"The Trust has also purchased many factories here and have removed them to the Northern cities.
"The people of Ybor City are orphans, not only of father and mother, but of everything in life. They cannot find work at the cigar factories becasue of the machines. If the government would place a tax of $5,000 on each machine, the manufacturers would soon have to discontinue them, and there would be work for those that are still left here.
"Under present conditions the people of Ybor City have no other alternative but to leave for New York City. Here they only get 50c a week for the maintenance of a whole family, and the single person is not given any relief

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