The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1886-02-18

I'm reading our Middle Florida exchanges we
notice disposition among some OF them To take
advantage OF the effects oil the late freeze to pre-
sent the superior claims Of their section over
ours. This effort to direct immigration In their
favor will do no good, aud will have the contrary
effect Ii Is bad cause that Is sustained only
by contrast To say the least, such course was
most ungenerous. Here, with = loss OF mil
lion dollars, by the severest cold since tnat OF
1885 an advantage is taken OF II, merely Tor the
purpose of divering our immigration in their
favor Suppose that in the gone by years, when
the caterpillar DESTROYED three cotton crops IN
Middle Florida, the Eastern portion OF The STATE
had been mean enough 10 take advantage OF II;
No, in those days more honorable course wouio
have been pursued. We have always supported
the claims OF Middle Florida, and will still do il
for The love we have for the people and secil"n.
| There is not q profitable enterprise that springs
| up for good in that section that We do not re-
joce in. Blu, enough. The orange belt Is fully
able to take care of itself, and will do it. Thank
God that the orange groves are not Killed. The
loss of 65 or 20 per cent of the crop will not
kill anybody, and the real advantages OF the
freeze will, in many respects, be found to our
advantage. Every species OF insect has been
destroyed, and the advertising advantage that
the orange stood the test with the thermometer
down to Is degrees without injury, other than
the loss OF fruit, which will 60 very far in our
favor. Now we believe that The full grown or
ange tree, with the sap down, will stand zero
-Pdldtkd Herald
The FLoRIDIAN is one of the " Middle
Florida exchanges" of its valued cotem-
porary-a journal which is noted for its
fairness and the frank expression of It's
sound-sense convictions. The FLoRlDIAN
does not suppose that it is one OF the
exchanges specially referred to by the
Herald, begs to be classed as clean OF
sectonalsm." and refers to the files OF
the FLoRIDIAN in evidence. The "sec-
tionalism that we mean is the spirit that
would pull down one section TO build up
another, for we do not consider 1t sec
tionalism to present the merits OF sec
ton for what they are worth, and each
section has its peculiar merits. 1t Is but
the duty of the journalist to properly set
forth the claims of his locality, and he
can do so without undertaking specifically
those of another, as has been the persist
ent course of sundry journalists OF
the Peninsula and other sections OF
Florida. Gross misrepresentation of the
people, climate and country of the black
| belt counties" of the Middle section has
been habitual with these jealous and un-
scrupulous scribblers. The honest Herdtd
knows this to be so, and it has stood way
up above the gang of slanderers and, as
i; truly says, always supported the
claims of Middle Florida" caterpillars
or no caterIillar>. 1t knows our good
people, our good soil, and our good eli
mate, and knows that their being SO does
not make bad the good people, good soil
and good climate of Putnam county.
Our ambideXtrous contemporary, the
| inns Union, copies the above quoted
article and comments impressively-sor-
rowfully shaking, as it were, what we will
not term a pharisaic head over the de-
plorable sectional jealouses," "asperi-
ties and "petty sectional feelings "
supposed to be cherished by the erring
brethren of the Middle Florida press.
| What makes it worse for us, brethren, Is
| that the r. u. is Presidel of the Press
Association and may kick US all out of 1t
| if we don't reform. So let us be good
if not very good, just as good as such
sinners can be-and we may be forgiven.
| Let us not admit into our columns artl,
Giles SO outrageou>ly sanderous of other
sections as were those communications to
the r. {. that recently wronged the peo-
pie OF Middle Florida. If we should
err so grievously let us not hesitate to
publish statements in rebuttal that may
be sent US, but print them promptly
without compulsion, making amends for
our error to such extent. But we really
must continue to say that our country
is good country, let it offend whom it
may, and at the risk of being charged
with sectionali>m, and morrned over by
| the excellent r. L., even as one that will
not be comforted because of the grief
we cause its white, non-sectional soul.