The weekly true Democrat., 1907-12-27

notwithstanding the conflicting sentI-
ment, pro and con, the railroads have
come, and have come TO stay. Not,
however, without great trials and tribu-
lati0ns, and there Is no man who has
greater reason to rejoice in their COM
ing than the writer, and greet them
with allheart and soul Ishave cast my
vote 10 granting more lands, possibly,
to build railroads than any living man
in Florida, and there Is no doubt but
those grants Of land have been the
means BY which the State to-day is all
checkered up with railroad. The TO-
SOC, 600 acnea Of lands given % the rail-
roads has been q mainsprinQ IN the build
ing and operating Of these roads. It Is a
source Of much qualification 10 me, and
venture to say all the people OF the
State, to know that they have dOne
their part nobly in aiding these great
public utilities, and TO see cur State to-
day blooming and bloasominR as the
rose While am q great friend Of the
railroads. and give them great credit
for the wonderful developments Of our
State, am sorry 10 believe that in
many Instances they have not dealt fair
" by the people, and that the people have
just cause 70 complain. The fact has
been pretty well establiShed, bat the
great and vitalaprinciple Of railroad SER
vice should not be condemned for the
shortcomings of few systems. The
people who have given their To-
100, 900 Ncres of actually decided lands 20
railroads feel that they have Invested
rights as well as moral rights, and the
railroads cannot afford 20 lose sight Of
this fact. II, indeed, those rights are
- -. u.
cannot be surprised at the representa-
tives Of the people passing laws TO en-
force . square deal. From my stand
point, feel that the most friendly and
fFaternal feelings should exist between
the railroads and the people. The great
the railroads are 70 the peo-
pie Of this State need not be mentioned
IN this letter their name Is legion.
IL was in the latter SOS had occa-
sion 70 make trip to Thomasville, Ca. |
was then living at Fort Meade, Fla,
and rode horseback 80 miles 10 Melon |
vile, very near the present site Of |
Sanford. There took passage on Cap |
tain Brooks steamer to Jacksonville. |
Then and there saw my first railroad, |
= brand new road, nov the Seaboard |
3yBtem. travelled on that road TO Lake |
City. The railroad had just been COM |
pleted 20 that point There l took the |
stage and travelled to Madison, thence |
On stage TO the Savannah road TO Thorn !
asville. Returning, travelled by stage |
70 Monticello. There I took the rail. |
road for Tallahassee, and there on |
The Oldest road in the State 70 Saint |
Marks, where took passage ona week. |
" steamboat line TO Cedar Key, and on |
70 Tampa, and from there 45 miles over |
and on horseback to my home on the |
beautiful Peace river. This was the |
best that could be done then. Think of |
I now IN this day Of quick and ready
transit, can make the same round trip
n AS hours.
Imnediately after the great war
vas 3 delegate from Polk county to
Iur State Constitutional Convention, and
Uncle Sam furnished the Transportation
md ! took sn old slow war transport
rom Tampa - 81. Marks. Many SINH
~ trips OF this kind made before the
lays Of quick and ready transit. No use
o mention that today South FlOrida, /
With her lneompafahie climate, can fur
lieh the lnarkete Of che North with her
aiIIi0ee Of fruits and vegetables. freah
nd crisp from grove and garden.
Let - stop cUrsing railroads and fos-
er them, and by 90 doing we encourage
hem 20 give us 4 fair and square deal
ct the laws be wisely enacted % meet
poradle eaeeo Of railroad tngFntit0de.
Very respectfully,
La Bens, Lee Co, Fla. Nov. q.
a HssrSy HSpCtioS