The Florida agriculturist., 1907-08-14
Mr.. Hampton Tells Why.

In the July 3ISt numDer Ol the ASll-
culturist is an article headed "Powell
Wants to Know" Yes, and it is right
he should know.
During a somewhat extended trip
last season of some seven thousand
miles through the middle West, Cali
fornia, Texas, etc., had to answer
many questions, some not to my l1k-
ing, either, and some | was ashamed
to answer.
In the middle West was questioned
closely as to our election laws, and
why it was we had but one party in
Florida. But, answer as [ would, |
found the thinking class didn't feel
like going to state where, in case
they were on the opposite side Of the
political fence they were about as good
as disfranchised I found the election
laws was one cause why we don't get
more Of that class that have built up
the mighty West I was asked many
times also what about Our fence laws
and whether stock of all kinds were
allowed to run at large. When told
that even hogs had to be fenced
against, they preferred to stay where
they were Some of them had had
early settlements of the West. While
I found many who would prefer a
warm climate they didn't seem will
ing to fence against hogs. The above
was generally question No. 2.
Then the next usually was something
about the roads. This was another
question that | found hard to answer
as I would like to. But I made it as
good as I could, assuring them the
leaven was working. But the idea of
having to open and shut gates on the
public highway, as one has to in
many parts of Polk county, was too
far behind the times. But here in
Winter Haven, I am proud to
say, where we have a strong settle
ment of northern and western people
| have yet to find a single obstruction
on any public road in the form Of
a gate; not only that-we have about
all Of Our roads c1ayed, good, solid
roads
There were many other questions,
of course, but these three we're the
hardest to answer.
Now, Mr. Powell, if you will prevail
upon the next legislature to pass a
law making it a penal offense to put
any obstruction across public road,
and forbid anyone fencing up single
section line, or obstructing the same
with gate, Or as [ have often found,
set of bars; then make it obligatory
on the sheriff of each county to see
that all these lines were kept open,
as they are in the West, with a heavy
penalty for his not enforcing the law,
regardless of who it was that was OBJ
structing the high way; when you can
get law to that effect, and another
to compel everyone to care for his
own stock of all kinds, and then re-
model your election laws in a more
liberal spirit; then when these three
things are done, you won't have to
go to Japan or Italy, nor beg of the
Hun. or the Pole to come and help
get swarms of good legal Americans
from the Northland of our own boun-
teous country that would gladly come
and help build up Florida's waste
places. Remove these causes, and
Florida will soon come into her own,
and instead of wondering that they
do not come, as we do now, we will
wonder at the numbers and where they
all come from. But till these things
are done the young and energetic of
the North and West will prefer civil
ization of higher order, even though
the climate is more severe, and
sharper struggle to win the dollar
from mother earth.
These three causes, I found, were
the greatest drawback to us getting
settlers from the West, such as we