The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1885-02-26

LAND or FRUIT AND FLOWERS. THE FLOR
IDA CRACKER. THE STATE FAIR. THE
FLORIDA W. C.. +. |.

A LAND OF FRUIT AND FLOWERS. THE FLOR
IDA CRACKER. THE STATE FAIR. THE
FLORIDA W. G. +. |.
TCorre> pon,cncr of the .Jollrnui
JACKSONVILLE, Fla, Feb. If, ISS5. was
thinking his beautiful February morning as |
sat in my room writing for the journal, with
my windows up, what Il great difference there
is between the climate of Florida and thar of
my native State, which | love so Well The
lines of Newton are verified here and 'Febru-
AIRY is as pleasant May. The songs of the
birds, especially of the mocking-bird, whose
initiating notes have just begun at this writing,
sound sweet to the ear, while the green lnagno-
liza, orange and sweet gum leaves and the mul-
titude of blooming roses in the gardens are Al
tractive to the eye of a E0rtherner. The city OF
Jacksonville, which has come into notice since
the civil war, is situated Oh the beautiful It.
Johns 26 miles from It's mouth and 2Gl miles by
rail from savannah, Ga. The streets are wide
and well laid out. One of the principal features
of the city is the numerous hotels. The ST. James
hotel takes the first rank in JaaksonviIlc, and
might safely say i'll Florida. learn that it has
accommodations for over 800 guests 1t has
broad verantahs, upon which luXurlon>ly furn-
ished parlors open, and where the guests prom
enade or dance to the music of Il fine orchestra.
Those who leave their home in the cold North,
and arrive in Jacksonville at the present time,
could easily think themselves in the garden of
Eden. LuXurant shade is furnished the pede~-
trian BY trees heavily laden with luscious
oranges The cottages of every conceivable
| architecture are surrounded by such plants
can only be found in the tropics, while the
balmy air is fragrant with fragrance. few
days ago, in company with Bo>tonan took
ride into the country. We passed many ne
gro huts and old plantations, and at one place
noticed a number of darkies taking sun bath.
Some of them were eating sugar cane while
others We're singing merry Asking one of
them how far it was to certain place we
wished to visit, he looked up with Il smile on
his dusky face and said, Il dunno boss; all
! nose IL that it il right smart distance ahead,
and thanking him for his valuable information
we whipped up our horse and drove on. We
saw Irish potatoes. cabDages and turnps grow
ing in this sandy soil. But the greatest curiosity
that met our sight was a genuine Florida crack
er. The one in question a little old man
with long hair and whskerS, with his pants cut
a year too soon; his horse, which was very
| poor in flesh, was hitched into il two-wheeled
| thing (it could not be called a cart and his
| load consisted of about fifty cents worth of su-
| gar cane. He told US that he was going to town
| to dispose of his load so to get some rations
These Florida crackers are not a very intel-
gent class of people and know but little or
,I,o;,,
| own State. Your correspondent WIS present at
| the Tenth Annual Florida Exposition held re-
| Gently at the State Park Fair Grounds near this
/ city and was highly interested in looking at the
varied exhibits and curiosties. The ladies of
| the Womans Christian Temperance Union of
| Florida had headquarters at the Fair, and |
| met MANY who were interested in the good
work. One leading temperance lady, of Florida,
| told me that the local option law of their State
| had done some good but she was convinced the
| dreadful plague of intemperance rife in
| Jacksonville, and all over the State, would
| never cease until Constitutional Prohibitorv
Amendment was incorporated into the COnst-
| tuition of the State; and when was called upon
| to say word about ''God and Home and Ma
| tive Land" told them what great good statu-
| tory prohibition had done in Maine, and how |
was anXlously looking for the 63rd Legislature
| of my State to amend our prohibitOrv laws
| as to increase the penalties, thereby enforcing
| the decision which the people had made at the
| polls last September. +. w. GOWEN.