The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1884-10-07

nooe who appreciates ,as,rs folly lha, REGULATION
and the settlement 81 the country by sturdy agri-
cuitursts. constitutes its chief needs and chief
wealth. Bat this growing cancer 10 the shape
OF a rapidly Accumula&iog dehe had to be ar
rested. However painful the remedy the opera
ton had " be performed. or the disease would
soon have been fatal to the entire BODY And II
is satisfaction ~ know that the intelligent
minds OF the State familiar with the condition of
the fund give it their endorsement.
1t was substantially sale by the United States
Court as the Trustees We're but agents Of the COURT
and the sale was confirmed BY that tribunal.
Judge Settle, who thoroughly understood the
necessities Of the fund.- gave 1t his approval; and
when the debt Was practically relieved and the
suit dismissed by his order. he remarked that he
had seen much in the action Of the Board of
Trustees To commend and nothing to condemn.
II was The only possible remedy, and the re-
suits have been fully commensurate with the
expectations.
LOOK AT THE REsULTs
No Flordau Can contemplate, without feel
lnss of pride, the unprecedented progress made
by our State 10 the last four years Prior to that
time she had almost stood s,agnant, as is demon
straied from the tact that her taxable resources
had averaged for wears about thirty or thirty-One
million dollars. West Florida and South Flor.
ida were suffering for the want Of transportation
facilities, and the people were restless over the
long delay Many Of the best citizens OF West
Florida Looked to annexation to Alabama as the
only relief from her seemingly hopeless isolation,
having no prospects Of railroads Our develop
mentrnm internal Improvements was stagaant,
IDLE and motionless and no CLEAN flight seemed
Id penetrate the gloom. We had the same eli
mate, the same soil and the same generous peo-
pie, but our transportation lines stood STILL not
wilhstanding the fact they had large legislative
land grants When this great incubus of incum
brance upon our Internal Improvement Fund
tod - 40 lol
forward more rapidly than any State in the Union.
NO State can show development that about
doubled her resources in the last four years.
Few States can show as many miles OF railroads
built in the same period; and If you take our
population and wealth and calculate the percent
age. no State can equal us.
The increase of land sales in small quantities
tontside of the swamp and overlooked lands)
gives an approximate idea of the development of
our State from the impetus given by the adver-
tisements, etc. resulting largely from the Disston
sale.
SCHOOL AND SEMINARY LANDs
The sale of these lands during former admin
StratiOns was as follows:
Number of acres sold under Governor
Reeds four and half years........... 3s,7s6 II
Number of acres sold under Governor
stearns' four years. ................ 1907. n
Number of acres sold under Governor
Drew's four years. ................... IA, 44e II
Number OF acres sold under Bloxham's
three and half years pa, 2S6 &
INTERNAL IMPROVEMENT LAMBS PROPER
Acres.
Number of acres sold under Governor
Reeds four and half years .......... H. Is. g;
Mum "er of acres sold under Governor
Stearns' four years. 49,. ............ 3O,555 IS
Number of sold under Governor
Drew's four years. MISREPRESENTATION. SO, 100 4:
Sales under Boxham's three and a half
years lO3 IA "
This remarkable increase is larger in the sale
ct swamp ana overlooked lands, and the records
AT Gainesville will demonstrate the fact that il
extended to United States lands also mention
these facts to show The enormous increase o
land sales since the Disston purchase, and the
material increased development of the State re-
sultng therefrom.
Where Is there a man of good intelligence
in the borders OF our State, not blinded by polit
cal prejudice or ambition, who would place
Florida back to where she stood when the pres
ent administration went into power Who de-
sires to wipe out the seven hundred-yes, soon
To be eight hundred-mes of railroads con-
siructed in the State during The last four years .
Who desires to to turn back that immense tide
of travel and immigrants brought to the Sta {
annually by advertisements made largely by
these companies? Who will complain thai
Florida has outstripped every State in the Unou
IN n propOrtiOnate increase of wealth in the same
period: Who wishes to drive out OF her bord
crs the millions of Northern capital that has
sought investment here owing to her proud fnan
cia condition, and the security she offers to life
! liberty and property. Who wishes to bring
back the period OF high taxation, increase O.
debt and protligacy in public expenditures which
characterized the msrule OF Radicalism?
| No! Floridians whether of Northern or South
ern birth, will be true TO the giant strides she
has made in the last few years. and will sustain
and support the cause and the party that ha,
for its object the further and continued develop
ment Of Florida. Ii is an insult TO our patriotism
and common sense to say that another night Of
| gloom and despair such we suffered from 1885
until 1877, shall again cast its dark mantle ovel
our fair Slate. and we stand silent witnesses o.
her degradation and dishonor. amid the hellisl
orgies OF an ignorant and ruthless tanalicsm.
Then, men of Florida, do your duty. and pro
gress, peace and prosperity will continue TO smile
| over our beloved State.