The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1911-04-19
COMMON SENSE
ABOUT FLORIDA
Florida's Financial and Industrial Record.

So far as the interests OF settlers
are concerned, Florida is one of the
newest states although historically, it
Is the oldest, says F. H. Griswold in the
Chicago Tribune. Like several other
southern states, it's agricultural re-
sources have been dormant because of
lack Of serious effort along systematic
lines. Until within the last few years
agricultural development in Florida
was merely incidental-the push and
energy that built up the west were
lacking. A few men saw possibilities
in the cheap, neglected lands, but
many years had to elapse before the
settlers who were pushing west were
willing to look toward the south.
More pepole are pouring into F1ori-
da today than at any other previous
time in its history" says Louis Larson
Of st. Augustine, who has taken an
active part in the campaign to turn
settlers toward the south. up to
within few years 90 per cent of the
immigration and homeseeker move
ment was toward the west and north
west, then the south had it's inning.
During the last two or three years
there has been a tremendous increase
especially toward the southwest.
Various causes have contributed to
bring about the change in the popular
attitude toward the south. Publicity
and advertising done by the railroads
helped to get the movement started.
Then came a sort of educational cam
paign, for many newspapers and peri
odicals printed articles describing the
oh rxF 20 ~ %a1 ft1o
appetite of people to such an extent
that they were in a proper mood to
buy land.
Another thing that helped to bring
about the change was that quantities
Of low priced lands could be bought in
large tracts. Land companies and real
estate agents in the North saw the
opportunity and started an advertising
campaign never before equalled in the
history of colonization work. The ad-
vertising inaugurated by these people
seemed to catch the public in exactly
the right mood, for the prospective
settlers were land-hungry; in fact,
they were so eager to get plot of
Florida soil that they bought sight
unseen
IF you were to ~ to sell these
they would want to examine it first.
for fear there might be something
wrong with it. But with 1and-well,
you see that seemed to be different.
They figured that no one could get
the land away from them. When they
had paid for it, had received the deed
and attended to the taxes, no one could
steal their land.
Now the great majority Of such
purchasers are not farmers it is fair
to assume and they do not know that
there is much poor land in Florida,
with much that is good. There is land
in Florida that is not good for farm
ing Of any kind, just as is the case in
any other state, and there are some
who have bought places of this sort.
Because of this tendency, land COM
panies have a clause in their contract
allowing the purchaser from thirty
days to four months time in whcih to
examine the purchase. If during that
time The purchaser examines the land
and finds it unsatisfactory, the seller
agrees to either refund the money paid
or to grant an exchange for other land.
1t seems to me this is a fair PROPOSE
ton and that in case a buyer does
not inspect his purchase and later finds
his land defective, he is as much to
blame as anyone, because he has neg
lected one Of the first principles OF
any transaction.
ct have lived in Florida upward Of
eighteen years, have been over almost
all parts of the peninsula, have ex-
amined all kinds Of land, and know
what each Is suited for. But even
though fortified with this knowledge,
If I were to start out tc buy a site
for my home, would not close a deal
for land in my own county until
had examined it carefully. even though
I already had some knowledge Of the
ground as a result Of having passed
across it several times.
ITO those who may be thinking of
going to Florida I would like to give a
friendly word of advice.
First, do not get the idea that sue
cess is attained in Florida without in
telligent application and hard work.
We have a combination of climate
and soil that Is hard to beat, but
without persistent, careful work and
attention on the part of the farmer
they would be useless. Any expert