The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1909-06-29

Of PENSACOLA
HON. JOHN {. sTILLMAN, IN GALL
ING FOR SUPPORT OF CITIZENS
FOR PROPOSED RAILROAD,
GIVES SOME OF THE PROBABLE
CAUSES.
Editor Pensacola Journal:

/ Editor Be0SdCOld JOUIudi-
Recently one of the leading maya
zines offered prizes Tor the best de-
| scription of the characteristics of the
| cities of the country, as seen and de-
picted by such residents as desired to
! compete.
! Pensacola was not described. but it
might well have been as it is so
| thoroughly distinctive, in many of its
/ attributes, from any other city, that
| it would seem TO have stood a good
| show to have taken the prize.
Every city has its own individual
| ity, Just as every home, or every in
| dividual for that matter. a person
ushered for the first time into a home
| is uncOnsciously impressed with the
something that makes it different from
any other home he is familiar with,
| and a stranger entering a city for the
| first time is likewise impressed with
| the personality Of that particular city
To criticize is so easy, that there
| is nothing original about it, but it is
allowed for a member of the family to
| exercise this function, when the same
expression from an outsider would
be holly resented.
A gentleman now dead who spent
| many Of his winters in Pensacola,
once made the statement to the writer
I
pitabIe place, and the least public
spirited" that he had ever seen.
I Believing there is much truth in the
statement. / am led to inquire what
is the reason, for reason there must
| b..
First and foremost we know that it
| is a city founded by SpaniaTds, and
the Spanish blood has descended from
generation to generation, and is prev
E~,- in rlTT- oft one h
1t is no discredit that among the
| leading Spanish characteristics neither
! energy or pTOgTessiveneSs are prom
| inent. 1t is simply fact.
Second, Pensacola, while located on
| the leading harbor in southern wa
tiers, naturally the metropolis of West
Florida, undoubtedly the most uniVer-
sally fertile section of the state, IS
sadly isolated from the state to which
| she belongs
There is practically nothing in
common between west Florida and
| Florida proper. The business of Pen
sacola is done with other states than
Florida, and these conditions have re-
suited in d provincial feeling, which
| is another name for selfshneSs.
Unfortunate, but true, and as well
| logical. and only a natural outcome or
heredity, environment and geOgraphI-
cal conditions.
jacksonville has recently establish
ed new connections commercially by
| inaugurating a steamship line to Bal
timore and Boston (she already has a
daily line of steamers to New York;
and other steamship connections
| Tampa, in addition to the connections
| by the Mallory line to New York, has
| secured a steamship line from Phila-
| delphia.
New Orleans has recently gotten a
new line from Philadelphia and one
| to South America.
! And Where are WE at, Mr.. Speak
| err?
The indifference shown ~ many of
! the business men of Pensacola over
the opportunity offered them to Sc
| cure a new railroad, connecting the
| city with trunk line that is COM
petitor of the L. & n. has prompted
| the writer to attempt to analyZe the
| cause for the peculiar individuality OF
| Pensacola.
| Although a committee has been
actively at work for week, only
about a dozen signatures seem to
! have been secured TO subscriptions,
Is it fair for those able to subscribe,
and who would be greatly benefted
by increased transportation facilities
to Law back and hope for its success
but refuse to cooperate in the trust
| that they will get a free ride?
It is to be hoped the spirit OF the
square deal is not so lacking in our
community that such is the case.
Such people could justly be charged
with the indictment of the servant to
his master, who left with him a talent
which he buried. and on the return OF
the master was TepTimanded by MIN
for not placing it at interest or where
if could earn something. The servant
replied: My Lord, / knew that you
| were a hard man, TeapinS where thou
didst not SOW. and taking up where
thou didst not lay down" If we ex-
pect to reap We ought to be willing
to SOW
/ At all events, whatever the microbe
| that has infected us with the tired
feeling. we should be stimulated with
the spirit that is moving things al
1 about US. and get in the game, re-
Numbering always that God helps
them who help themselves
JOHN z. STILLMAN.
ICRADLE, ALTAR