The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1909-04-16
MAJOR IZLAR ON FLoRIDA'S
NEEDS
To the Editor Ocala Banner:

Banner on What Florida Needs
Well, an editorial of yours some
ten or more days ago induces me to
partly fulfill my promise. l say part
". because l am not going to stick to
my text too closely-all owing to said
editorial.
Your article was based upon a re-
mark made by some correspondent
who classed the Jews as undesirable
| immigrants. AS to what you said
about the Jews, | concur, and will go
ever further, as you will see later on.
AS to what you say as to some other
peoples | do not agree, and on that
point we-you and I-come to the
parting of the ways, as you shall also
see later on.
Now, to my text-What Does Flor
ida Need?. What does she need to
make her one of the most prosperous
and desirable states to live in in all
of this great country of ours? Her
natural resources are almost unlimit-
ed, and her possibilities incalculable.
Her territory is large, and her popu-
lation small. Then, while she needs
many things to bring her up to the
highest standard, the most important
of all-the essential thing-is popu-
lation. We want people-settlers-a
thrifty, law-abiding, Industrious peO-
pie; people who will take hold of the
wonderful gifts and opportunities
that a beneficent God has bountifully
scattered all over the state. Most of
all, we need a thrifty and progressive
agricultural people. Yes, we need i'm
migrants, and emigrants, and with
these of the right kind, many of the !
needs in the way of reforms and i'm
provements will just naturally come
about. These reforms and improve
mentS are many and sorely needed, !
and l may in some future article |
write about some of them, but just |
now | have some other matters in
mind.
Now, Mr.. Editor, you see what
think is Floridas greatest and imme-
date need, but, Mr.. Editor, l differ
from you and many others, in the
kind of settlers we need. You say in
effect, ANY, Lord, so they come
quickly | say white settlers or
none. We need no race of people
here that cannot aSsimilate with our
own white people, We need no vel
low, or red, or any other color than
the white. We need no heathens nor
semi-barbarians here We want this
country for what our forefathers ,
sought it and conquered it for-not
for the dumping ground of the people
of all colors, races and religions, for
while freedom of religious views is ,
written in the organic law those who
wrote ii there did not mean anything ;
beyond the separation of church and
state. The freedom of conscience by
a Christian people to interpret the +,
scriptures and worship God in the
light of their own conscientious con- ,
victiOns of the teachings of Jesus.
Many of the early settlers were driv-
en- to our shores by persecution on ,
account of their religious christian
views, and when liberty was won their
descendants saw to it that this
(Christian) religious freedom was i'm
bedded in the foundation stone of our
government.
This country has fiourished and
grown nightly on that tap-root. We
DO not want any of the virus of heath =
enism-Shintoism, Buddhism, or any ,
other isms-injected into the Chris
ian atmosphere of our land True,
we have several millions of the negro :
race with us now, and while we can
not assimilate them, still they are
at least, Christian people
Besides that, they did not immigrate
o this country; they did not come Of
heir own free will and accord, but
we're brought from their native land
by the white race. They are here
With us, and it is up to the white race
o do the best by and for them that
We can. We have this race problem
IN our hands now, and are seeking
or its best solution-a solution which,
will be best for us and best for them.
t is not solved yet, and is it not the
height of folly to multiply race prob
ems by admitting to our shores null :
itudes of alien races which increase
ike rabbits. Such policy is unwise
n the extreme, and can result in
nothing short Of disaster. 1t is
menace to our civilization and to our
social institutions. Away with any
policy which threatens the purity of
he blood of the white race, and en-
hangers the stability of our govern