The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1880-09-01

you publish it or not. 1t shall bt
read and heard, for /, too, am ;
Florida Agriculturist; have been fol
fifteen years. Though perhaps never
as at least, one issue of yours was "a
number one" agriculturist. But I've
paid, in the aggregate, more than g
thousand dollars of taxes to the State,
have four boys to the manor born
hence I have more interest in school
houses and roads as well as the
means OF getting my produce to the
market. And with me this last item
is an aspect directly agricultural in
as much as for the wantot ready, re-
liable transportation, l have lost half
my two last orange crops. But what
has transportation to do with poll
tics Perhaps nothing with partisan
politics, but everything with sound,
practical sense politics. How ? Read
these three letters just received from
parties looking to settlement in the
State, one from Kansas, one from
Michigan, and one from Massachu-
setts, all asking questions that should
have been practically answered years
ago, viz: "Are investments of cap
ital in your State perfectly safe ?
What are your rates OF taxes, State
and county? Can I vote as l please
and express my opinions freely there?
Will ! be received cordially and find
personal protection wherever may
go? What have you for roads ?
What sort of schools have you?
What means of communication and
transportation ?" Can our Demo
cratic candidate for the State Senate
read these questions without blush
ing? Yet he is bound to silence tor
he is of the party not accused OF
manufacturing fictitious tragedy for
northern ears. We can talk matters
over confdentially. But hush The
party! Which Both This arti.
oaLsE1y 4ifsiJl,sas~ag4ps 81 sfs.iS-s rs-l 4;-I
written by an independent. Yet
one who, after nine years residence,
was called ''a foreigner" by another
who had been only six years in the
State. "How is that ?" "Oh am
from Georgia and yon came from
Massachusetts" was the reply. 1t
those men north of Mason and Dixon
line knew they would be considered
foreigners" after residing nine years
in Volusia county, Florida, or per-
chance have their best orange trees
girdled, would they be any more
likely to come? Surely if they or
others do not come, we of the coast |
will have to contlnae to lose half our
orange crop tor want OF transporta'
tion, and be compelled to swim our
horses to reach the court house, be-
cause it will take people, enterprise
and spirit to ge. that railroad across
the county or even to get ali outside
steamboat. What has brought your
daily lines and cheap freight and
carried the price OF your lands to
such high figure along the ST.
Johns q? The people that have come |
there with their money. What
brought them there ? The climate |
of Florida, not the politics. They |
have come for the natural not for the
political attractions. What sound,
practical sense now demands is such
a political policy,not party but policy,
such a course Of legislation IN the
State as will most encourage good |
immigration that brings with it intel
ligence, energy enterprise and money.
And right here at home, in Volusia
county, we want a Board Of County
Commissioners that will never issue
another dollar Of scrip, but will pay
cash tor everything needed for the
welfare of the county and for nothing
else. We want men on the Board
that fully see and comprehend all the
wants and interest OF every part OF
the county and of the whole county ;
and we want intelligent, honest, en-
ergetic and efficient men in all the
offices OF the county. A man to as
sess our taxes properly, a man TO
collect them faithfully, and man to
put them and every one of us in Jail if
straight walking is not done. When
a man comes into Volusia county,
with view to settlement, he looks
first for homestead on U. s. lands.
Homesteading is political matter,
not Democratic or Republican, but
none the less political and If there J