The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1894-06-29
shall Florida be Represented at tina At
Ianta Exposition2

- - ~ IIA<lit u0i presentation q
facts 70 convince You that business Of all kinds /
very dull aud at low ebb. money IS very scare,
N the hands Of the people, aud times are yer,
hard
such lack Of confidence and consequent Fl
naneiai distress have not prevailed in The Lane
since Is4z.
There IS more money gold silver aud paper,
than before, but il is in the hands of thos,
who seem to attach no real value to anything
else. With bank vaults bursting with hoardee
money, graneries full OF all kinds uf grain, ans
cotton unloaded. warehouses filled with manufac
tufed goods broad acres to be had for alnos
the asking there is want ia the midst Of thi.
great abundance
Tariff and 6nancial legislation did not bring
immediate relief IN 1872, neither will it now
Nothing short Of a restoration Of confidence moi
only in the soundness of our money, but in youi
feilow-man will do H.
1Now, do not intend 10 arraign any political
party. corporation or individuals 10 answer for
the cause Of this widespread distress
But hope to be able TO present to you few
facts, and matter in such light to induce
you 10 act in a way that will bring relief to us al
least BY doing our own helping.
Let as quit fnancierng There are two many
inanciers. The raggiest tramp can curse Cleve
land, aud tell more about what Ought 10 be done
financially than Alexander Hamilton
The subject Of this letter has been matter oil
much thought with me. and ain persuaded that
our surest source OF relief is is in immigration.
The value of this you understand without argu-
ment OF oratory; il is proposition Of fact 50
plain and stares ns Sc squarely in the face
there is no getting around it.
We want 10 see these fine old plantations--for
the want Of labor lying in old fields all over the
county that once had more than money val
ac bud and blossom again like garden We
want sturdy energetic, determined immigra-
lion Of men, such as made the west, to come
among US and hew down the forests that cover
our splendid hammocks aud fine pine lands, that
cucumber virgin soil as rich aud productive as
any in the land
We want TO do something to show aud convince
this class Of people that Florida is not land Of
swamps, sandbanks and malaria but quite the
contrary, that outside Of the everglades she has
less swamps than either Mississippi or Illinois,
and that seven-tenths of that is susceptible OF
drainage that there is enough sof, phosphate
and muck to enrich every foot of the land
IN the state / want say poor, because have
never seen any that properly worked and wa
tered would not produce hving--that we have
more productive land without fertilzing than
either Virginia, Kentucky, Indiana or Michigan
that our capacity for grazing is unsurpassed
that our Bermuda grass, TO say nothing of G
number Of other native grasses unknown BY
name on upland, is equal to the blue grass of
Kentucky and Virginia, and on low lands is faI
superior; that we can have rich Bermuda gras.
pastures and fat cattle same as they have else
where-biue grass pastures and fat cattle, il We
have the same kind Of men and enterprise tc
make them.
We want 10 get into closer relationship with
those who are constantly seeking new homes
from overcrowded places, and TO do so we want
an intelligent presentation Of facts that those
who are uniformed and Of course ignorant OF
the probable capacity Of Florida soil for produc
ton may be enlightened, that our soil is capable
Of producing rice like Dakota produces wheat
that whilst not in the corn belt we can make al
we need, and to grade our lands, acre for acre
we win make as many bushels Of pinders as any
other place win corn, and that the fattening
qualities Of pinders is superior to corn; that
uplands In the production Of long staple cotton is
equal 10 the sea islands that whilst Irish pota-
toes is not much of a crop with us; the yield oil
sweet potatoes will surpass them in any section,
and are of more value, for everything eats them
from chicken up to a man; that in tobacco nc
state grows rs fine and from its general cuttings
the yield IS enormous; that in root crops and
vines no country surpasses us, aud whilst we
must confess clover is not suited to either our
soil or climate field of COW peas is its equal,
and whilst timothy is not adapted to our soil and
climate, our native crab grass, rnillet and mum
Der Of other forage making plants will make all
the hay we want, and some TO export; we buy
hay not because we haven't forage producing
plants in abundance, but simply because we do
not utilize them.
might 90 on and enumerate facts known to
yon all until had written article longer than
a newspaper cared TO print, without serving the
purpose in view.
Well. now how best to utilize these facts, and
best place them before the people intcliigently
we desire 10 come among uss
Georgia is moving in this direction. and will
hold an exposition at Atlanta for the southern
states from the irss of september to the first of
December, probably longer.
In proposing to you to take advantage of this
opportunity to make an exhibit Of our valuable
aud rare woods, our rich and productive soils and
FANNN'tnf Jul Hh'VphttNS anu SidNS dhN hSAp
people the south, am advised that am going to
have an uphill work 10 get you to do it.
have travelled up many hill in my time, and
the paths Of some have been pretty rugged in the
ascent, but the sleeper the hill and the more
rugged the path the more enjoyable the view
when reached the op-anything worth having
is worth working for.
II there. IS hip 10 climb ii will be for You TO
say whether il shall be steep and rugged or not.
shall pot care TO importmne YOU.
There was a time when the gloom and dark
ness which surrounded ms was as though the
heavens were hung with pail; there was pesti-
ience IN the land which threatened TO be epi-
demic aud spread throughout the state-our
chief occupation then was TO assemble in fronto OF
bnllctin boards reading kilograms from stricken
Jack sonville and wondering how soon the yellow
Fever would reach Ms.
IN the midst of this, and while ocala and Ma
rion county was under shot gun quaranteen,I
wrote you a letter similar TO this and in response
von Immediately formed an exhibition company,
and ia ninety days from the time the first axe re
sounded in the woods YOU had taken from the
stump trees and fashioned into lumber and
erected the largest building ever built in the
tate, and filed it with the productions Of Marion
and adjoining counties. such as the world had
never seen before. and had forgotten there had
been any yellow fever, and out Of this grew the
famous Farmers Alliance exhibition, and
through the "Ocala Demands the name { f
ocaia. Marion county and Fioride was familiar
20 all people.
Respond to thsand make an exhibit at Attain
ia. aud Keep it up aud the beneficial results will
be incaiculabIe
II Marion county will make move in this de
rection she will be followed by all the state, at
least enough q il 10 make state exhibit, end
form a centre around which democrats. repuhh-
cans. third parties aud transportation companies
can assemble and shake hands in an eudeavor to
make one grand effort for general good.
II anything is done ia this matter it should be
done at once The time is short between now
and the FIRST Of September, but much can be done
IN that timc Aud out Of this viii grow an inn
migration bureau that will be of some utility.
We are NOW under state of lethargy as
though deep sleep had come over us. Let us
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