The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1905-02-12
THE VAGRANT IN THE
STATE OF FLORIDA.
Jacksonville Times-Union.)
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If crimes are on the increase in
Florida, the greater proportion of these
must be credited to a floating popula-
| tion which comes TO us in winter and
| flows back when the birds begin To
sing. One element of these visitors
is valuable; there are workmen among
them who work when they can find
business while escaping the rigors of
the winter Perhaps it is difficult to
discriminate between the honest man
who is waiting for a job and the pro-
| fassional lOafer, who merely sails,
under false colors of decency and self
respect, but something might be done
along this line if the officials watched
their men. Certainly we are con-
fronted by very serious question IN
this state, and it is not too soon %
! take some measures to guard our
selves against the consequences OF
former carelessness.
What legislation do we need for the
very impressive one.
First the farmers learned that over
production was ruinous They made
an increase Of about ten per cent in
their acreage, and then made a good
crop. The result was that cotton went
down to little over one-third OF the
high level Of last year. ANY increases
of acreage will be attended by a de-
crease in price, unless Providence
steps in and sends the boil weviel, or
the drouth, or too much rain, or an
early frost to cut off the crop. Sou
thern cotton-growers ought to rejoice
in poor crops if the deficiency is prop
erly distributed, for the cotton-grOwer
as an average is prosperous as the
crop as an average is poor and can
suffer from no greater financial calam-
lty than that imposed by widespread
good crop conditions.
The second lesson the Southern
farmers have learned is that by con-
cert of action they can to some extent
control the price of cotton. no matter
how large the crop is. The present
crop is over a million and quarter
bales larger than any other ever
grown, and the price naturally went
| below seven cents. 1t would have
gone below six and probably below
i've but for the fact that the cotton
ceased to come to the markets IN
quantity sufficient to meet the de-
mand. 1t took the spectators and
the manufacturers some time TO real
lie that the Southern farmers meant
business. but when they did realize
II the market responded promptly, and
cotton in a week has risen nearly a
cent per pound.
1t has risen more rapidly than
could reasonably have been expected
and decided reaction in the next few
days is not improbable. The reac-
ton, if it comes, will not take the
work? Hardly should we assume
that statute is needed to secure ac-
I ton on the part of the officials; no
Threat OF punishment would avail
when the plain letter of the law g
ignored, and il would be better to get
more active officials to provide pun
ishment for carelessness. In times
past we have taken very effective
measures against the evil; why should
We not do so again?
Florida has now well-written and
forcible vagrant law; the municipality
OF Jacksonville has sufficient ordi-
nanees or can provide them on very
short notice. We are soon to nave
plenty of work for such visitors on our
roads, AMI the mere thought of MAX
ing themselves useful viii send the