The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1911-07-07
JOHN RANDOLPH ON FLORIDA
SAID that the Fellow in He'll Would
not Exchange for Forty Acers in
Florida

Florida
1t is reported of John Randolph
of Roanoke, that when the purchase
of Florida from the Spanish govern
ment was under discussion in the
house, he cried out from the floor of
congress, in his high, harsh voice.
"Mr. Speaker, I am opposed to this
measure. Florida, sir, is not worth
buying. 1t is land of swamns of
quagmlres, of frogs and alligators and
mosquitoes! A man, sir, would not
1mmigrate into Florida. No sir, No
man would immigrate into Florida
no, not from hell ITSELF"
/ wish it were possible to call Jobn
Randolph back from the region where
he now exists and remind him of his
Incorporate denunciation of our now
fair state. If we could have him
here for the short space of two hours
during this perfect weather, take him
through our Orange county fair. show
him our fruits and vegetables. the
products of the land he declared to be
MADE up OF swamps and quagmires:
demonstrate to him his lost opportuni-
ty that he did not secure a slice of
Florida while yet on earth; in fact,
rub 1t in on him good and plenty
wouldn't we make him feel like thirty
cents?
And yet there are still thousands of
just such John Randolphs, lin all save
the name), scattered all over the
north, people who imbibed early pre-
juices against Florida, partly from
the Roanoke statesman, partly from
the histories of the early Indian wars
when the red skins would retreat be-
fore the soldiers and lead them into
bay heads and jungles of semi-tropi-
eal gr"g-ttH az the ~ 2 f~---
them, leaving them to believe that
all the state was a swamp. The
Indians were shrewd enough and
knew the ground well enough to keep
away from the open country, and the
soldiers were led to believe that it
was all swamps because they were
always led into the swamps. Thus
the early impressions of Florida were
unfavorable and misleading, and these
impressions have never yet been
eradicated from the public mind of
the north.
We could teach John Randolph
more in two hours, if We had him here
now than he learned in a whole life
time while he was in the flesh. We
could show those good people of the
north who are now shoveling snow
and standing off their coal bills. if we
had them here for a day, that God
has made land that is fairer than
theirs; where the products of the soil
are thriving luxuriantly while their
land is frozen and their wood piles
are running low. A land where living
is delight throughout the entire
twelve months of the year, where
physical discomfort is almost I'M
known, and where a man of ordinary
means and judgment can get ahead"
easier than in any other spot in the
2 United States.
| have been out of the real estate
business for two years. But if l had
John Randolph here for that two
years | would sell him a celery farm
at Sanford and an orange grove at Or
lando even if he had to mortgage his
birthstone deposit to raise the money
But Florida's skies are frightening.
The story of our marvellous climate
and wonderful productions is being
heard from New York to San Fran
cisco and as far north as Hudson Bay
The whole country is waking up to
the opportunities that await the ones
who dare and know how to do The
tide of immigration is turning this
way from all of the northern states
No part of the west is getting so
many new settlers and homeseekers.
The people are learning. Some of
them are acting. Others will follow.
The state that Randolph deprecated
will yet become the richest and most
populous of all the states of the
union.
Florida will be rich and populous
shall be forgotten.
before John Randolph of Roanoke
-MAHLON GORE in Orlando Re
porter-Star time of the Mid-Winter
Fair.