The Pensacola journal., 1910-05-07

under commission from the secretary
of the treasury in 1S47, suggested
that "to reclaim the Everglades Okee-
chobee must be tapped py canals run
ming into the Caloosahatehee river on
the one side and the Loxahatchie on
the other. or both; and cuts must also
be made from the streams on both
sides of the peninsula INTO the 'glades.
Besides. after the height OF water in
the 'glades is decreased leVen as much
as five feeD there Will PROBABLY be a
necessity for several Grams through
the 'glades and those sWamps by
which the waters accuIhulaIlnS from
the rains may be conducteu 10 ocean
and gulf" - -,
glades was graphically gwen by the
speaker, and after deScriolng the
value in general of the Iedl tract to
the state. Closing his interesting ad-
dress, Mr.. Wright SPOKE as ,o1!o"S'
"y,rben tbis drainage movement was
FIRST inanguTated there was much oppo-
ei+ion to il MANY claimed that there
was plenty good land without drain
inc the swamps, and that there were
not enough people to cultivate them if
thew were drained. Time mas shown
the fallacy of this argument. These
lands are now densely populated and
are in a high state of CULTIVATION. In
many instances they are the most
valuable in the state. IL IS from
those states where the value CT swamp
drainage has been demons stfated tnat
YOU will secure the purchasers Tor the
Everglades. when drained. IheTe IS a
scarcity rather than an oEerSLock OF
good agricultural land in tne Cnlled
States 7 have an extensive acqualnt-
ance throughout the country, ana 40
not know Of any locality IN WhlcH
there are fertile lands cleared anu
drained, ready for cultivation, that are
not worth at least $50 per acre; ne!e
is plenty of low-priced land ouI II -
not in a condition for occupancy anu
immediate cultivation. You heeu Ha {
no fear of getting too mueh goou, leI-
file we'll drained land in your state
Such land is a good, safe inVestmehI'
and will attract foreign CAPITA.
RELATION OF BANKGES:
"you as the bankers of Florida, oc-
cupv a peculiar relation to ThlS Dram
age movement and one OF great re-
| snonsibility. You are not only the
Headers but you are in a great measure
the moulders of public opinion on
ouestions involving the expenditure OF
| large sums of money. People natufa!ly
seek your advice and counsel as 10 the
wisdom and safety of permanent IN
vestments. Even if you do not invest
your own funds in land reclamation
Won have customers who will come TO
Won for advice, and possibly for loans.
Strangers seeking investments Will
either come or write to you Tor lnfof-
nation concerning the various land de-
velopment schemes in your vicinity.
You should be sufficiently IN toucn
with this matter to give SOUND couhSel;
IF the project in question is one OF
real merit, having good Land, Wen
matured plan for reclamation, and SUI
ficient capital behind it to insure its
completion, you should not hesitate 70
recommend it as a safe and profltable
investment. If, on the other mana,
Won are satisfied that the land Is poor
and not suitable for agriculture, and
that the representations made con
cerning it are misleading, and that
the scheme is likely to be failure
Won should unhesitatingly cUfrde mn 1t
Such a course may interfere with tht
promotion Of wildcat projects, put II
will tend to maintain the Teputaclok l
and good name OF the staIe'
| scheme not possessing real merit
! through extensively adVertised-sHou uII I
not be allowed to go upchalehSeu
The innocent purchaser should De pu
upon his guard and warned not TO p9I
chase without first examining IN
property. In this way real bona 1id.
development will be built up that VII
in a few years be of immense value L
the state and all its commercial II
terests.
In conclusion / want to urge tha
the truth concerning the Eyersl2de
be published, and any misstatemenl
corrected. / want every tax payer l
, the state to know the present cOnd
tion Of the Everglades and their futul
possibilities. l want this drainag
= work divorced from politics, and trea
l ed as an important business pr0pos
/ tion. I want the people to know thf
= the reclamation and settlement
1 these lands will be Of great value an
| lasting benefit to your state | wal
you, as individuals and as bankers
the state of Florida, to give your mo
r loyal support and encouragement.
I the officers having charge of this gre
j. work
r. THANKED FOR ADDRESS.
e No sooner had Mr.. Wright seat.
q himself before Secretary DeSaussu
y was on his feet and proposed vote
e thanks for the address, which WI
% given willingly upon suggestion,
le the members rising when so propose
lie HON. A. c. GROOM.
y Hon. A. c. Groom, the state com
e[ troller, expressed pleasure at belI
"a able to be present at the conyentiC
10 and he was glad to say. he told t
u bankers, that in his long tenure Of
ie flee there had been but one bank
ri trouble, and that was three months
Is ter he had taken charge Of the Offft
It He referred TO a state bank al
$ Petersburg, the trouble being mo
lS from dissensions among the banks
n rectors, he said, than anything eH
"a and then the depositors lost notLiI
90 Going into history and figures. he So
le that in 1901 when he first entered
IN flee, there were but thiTty-four ST.
o. banks, and now there were 113. she
. ing the prosperity of the state had
n vanced and the financial condition "
2 large as to amount and financial 5
Il bility. He was very glad. he said,
find that fhn increase bo5 1,11r, S+p1