The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1911-05-11
DUVAL OPENED THE DOORS
OF OcaIa Wide to the BANKERS of the
State-TOid Then What They Miss
ed In Not Coming sooner

or ocaIa Wide to the BANKERS of the
State-Toid Then What They Miss
ed In Not Coming sooner
The delegates TO the convention 0f /
the State Bankers Association were
called 10 order in the rooms Of the Wo |
mans Club yesterday at p. N, by the
president, c, ". Lamar Of Pensacola.
In the absence Of Rev, ". II. Dodge
Rev. Lincoln HulIey Of DeLand, open
ed the session with prayer.
Address of Welcome
Mr. L. w DuvaI welcomed the bank
ers to our city in the following address:
Mr.. President and Members Of the
state Bankers Association. 1 confess
To degree Of embarrass ment on this
Occasion. but / am accustomed to be
ing embarrassed by bankers. I must
also disabuse your minds Of the idea
that | am officially connected with the
municipal government. | am out on
parole. having served my time.
Your coming to us leaves, so far as
i am able 10 recall, but one state or
ganiZation which Ocala has not had the
plea sure of entertaining. That organi-
ZatiOn Is the one of which / am mem
berthe State Bar Association. It will
come to US. for it is a rule Of the pro-
fessiOn 10 keep close tab on the bank
erS.
We have really been at a loss to
plain your tardiness in coming TO
Ocala. unless it be that YOU desired to
save the best for this year. Many years
we have been expecting YOU and we
could not understand how you could
be happy anywhere else when you
could have met in Ocala 1t seemed TO
! US that the very thought of what You
were missing in not being here during
your annual gatherings would render
! all your conventions elsewhere like
The evaporation of a joyous day.
Like the last glass of champagne with
/ The foam. which made its virgin bum
or like a system coupled with doubt:
! or like a soda bottle. when it's spray
! Has sparkled and let half its spirit out;
/ or like a billow. left by storms behind
Without the animation of the wind
Verify. ere this session shall close
YOU will see your mistake in not desig
mating this city as your permanent
meeting place.
But you are here. and it is perha ps
unkind for me TO remind you on this.
your holiday, of memories which you
show you are trying to conceal. You
will pardon me for the reference, but
could not fail to improve the oppOr-
tunity of telling you. You have re
pented, and we forgive you, seeing that
I your loss equals ours, and at the same
time we extend to you a real. heart
full welcome.
1t has been our privilege and pleas
70 oil ro pit
tatives of commercial, fraternal. ben
ievOlent. patriotic, professional and the
illogical organizations, Jews and Gen
tiles. barbarians, bond and free. but to
none of them did We extend a more
hearty welcome that we now extend to
YOU of the financial guild. We are glad
to have you with us
Now, your hostess city is too well
known for me to introduce her. Ge-
geographically the center OF the state;
naturally the center of the best agri-
cultural and timber section of the
state: historically the center of the
students interest in Florida's past: no
wonder the sky on all sides is equi-
distant. The improvements made in
distant. The improvements made in
bonds and without bounds. and at the
same time electric and general bond l.
have been retired TO the amount OF
$4,000. During this time our millaGe
has been decreased. without incurrin 9
Ia large floating debt. You will find bus
mess houses and residences under con-
struction on every hand You will see
5000 more people than the census man
discovered; in addition to those he
counted a the churches.
The local members of your associa
h,,.
we looked up your ratings. and fount
that you were able 20 meet your Obli
cations. namely. to thoroughly enjoy
yourselves. to meet and mingle witt
the best people on earth-and We are
not all Elks-to so in and out amonG
'uS. to be at home.
So light your cigar: take the Morri
chair:
If YOU want anything. call for tit
u here:
u We have the solids and liquids tn
q bread and the beer;
:, Eat till You bust and drink if yo1
II must:
g Sip our wine # YOU will, press the but
There's Peyser's cigars and Carmi
chaers he'll
4 p yourselves TO them all; O We won
n tell.
= Provided YOU leave the pail in tn
we'll
on behalf of the city. its mayo,
!cOuncilmen. citizens, / welcome YOU I
IOcala-the city beautiful. the city pros
porous. the city whose men are men 0
commercial integrity. the city of beau
| tiful homes. the city of the fairest wo
men on earth. the city whose futur
growth we dare not prophesy, bu
whose boundaries Will soon crowd thos
of the cities YOU represent
4 Pleasant Response
Mr. T. D Walter, cashier of til
Fourth National Bank of Jacksonville
Responded TO the address of welcome !
manner at once pleasing and capt
waiting. He said that he had been tol
Ocala would receive the bankers wit
open arms, and he had found that
was SO. That the bankers in commo
with the people throu ghout the stat
sympa thized with Ocala in the Gala n
ity ~that had befallen her severe
years ago. and were rejoicing tha
Phoenix-like the city had arisen frol
her ashes. had bravely triumphed owe
her nsfortunes. which We're visible
her paved streets. her cement side
walks. her well kept lawns and hi
"a palatial homes. That he was glad TO /
? in fnr N fr,t