The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1908-03-08
SENATOR BRYAN WANTS
BATTLESHIP FLORIDA

in time of war or further use actually
or potentially, in time OF peace.
Did / not even have the honor, Mr.
Secretary, to represent the proud and
patriotic people OF the state of Flor
ida in the United States senate, and
be interested, for that reason, in writ
ing you as | shall herein, / believe
that my sense of the fitness of things
derived from the study of the varying
and intereS ting history of Florida
would impel me to suggest TO you the
naming of one az these proposed bat
tleships for the state of Florida
However this may be, the present
use Of the old discarded single-turret
ed Florida, as target, is not the sort
of target that the state of Florida
would choose for the ship that il to
represent, upon the high seas the -.
vincible spirit OF her sovereign PEG
pie. If the bearer of her name is to
be used as a target, her people would
prefer that it be as a great battleShip
in the forefront and thickest of a real
fight, a target fer the bullets of this
country's enemies.
/ do not mean to seem ungrateful
Mr.. Secretary, or TO represent the PEG
pie of Florida as ungTateful. for the
naming Of the monitor Florida" but
/ can most emphatically assure you
that no one could cause a more sin,
oere throb of patriotic pride in the
loyal hearts of the people of Florida
than would DE caused by you, in the
naming of one of these battleships as
herein suggested. C0njured up in
their minds would be the ins piring pic
ture of a magnificent battleship OF
the first-class,. fiuttering the stars and
or xr-ir ~, hn,,
facing practically or aggressiVely. as
occasion demanded, friendly or hos
tile world
/ am confident that If her officers
and men should at all imbibe the
Florida" spirit, victory would in ev-
cry case De. foreordained.
There are many reasons for nam
ing one of these new baMleShips for
the state of Florida which occur TO
me as | write, which | am satisfied
will naturally suggest themselves to
you and conclusively determine YOU
to grant this request | ask it, not
merely because Florida con Cains the
oldest city in the United States, or
the most extensive seaceast of any
state i'm the Union. not only because
OF a most interesting and unique his
tory, from the time of Ponce de Leon
made his search for the tabled foun-
tain, on down through Spanish,
French. English, Indian, American,
Border and Civil wars; not for the
fame Il has achieved in song, seIti-
ment or story-nor because of the
weird witehery Of IT'S nfos5-hung Hive
oaks. nor for the faT<faTned balm of
ITS sammy chime, but rather because
her people possess. and j believe the
members of her crew and officers OF
would acquire also, that invincibie
spirit which characterized the earlier
contestants for the dominion of her
territory, which demanded Old Hich-
Org hinDsslf as her first provisional
governor, which sustained her own
gallant son, J. J. Dickinson, when IN
the war between the sta6es. he did
what no other commander had ever
done, charged and captured with his
cavalry, a federal gunDoat, and which,
despite disasters OF war, epid eqi1ies Of
disease, cafamitous visftations OF
freezes, Wholesale destruhtgon by FIRE.
is causing tire state of Fiorida at last
to enter into her own as che Of the
greatest Ct the sisteTfDOod of states.
earnest ana honest in al-ehat goes to
make a state great and powerful. IN
SURPASSED In the patriotism or her 10y
az sons and devoted daughters.
With great respect for an the other
names that may be suggested TO you,
and with due difference 20 your opinion
submit, Mr.. Secretary, no wortlier
name could be chosen than 'EFlorSda'
for one of Americas great defenders.
Respectfully,
w. J. BRYAN.
Honorable Victor H. Metoalf,
Secretary L. S. Navy,
Washington, d. c.