The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1911-12-22
GOV. eILcHRIsT SPEECH AT PEN
sAcoLA


1aen OF the Navy, and Fellow Citizens:
December IS, 1911. will long be rec
membered in Florida as a day ON
which our people became more close
~ allied to the navy, through the pre-
sentation OF this beautiful silver SER
vice, in behalf of all our people. to the
pride of the navy. the great battleship
Florida.
One OF the pieces is decorated with
oranges and orange blossoms, suggest
i've of the delightful fruits and flow
ers OF our great state. Orange bios
SONS are also suggestive of matri-
mony. The name and deeds of this
great battleship are forever married
to the highest and best thoughts Of
our people.
There is also a representation of
the landing of Ponce de Leon, Easter
Sunday, three hundred and ninety
nine years ago. Beneath this is a
likeness of the discoverer OF Florida,
Ponce de Leon. While in search Of the
fountain Of youth, Ponce de Leon
landed in Florida on Easter Sunday, a
day celebrated throughout Christen-
dom as the day on which the fountain
of eternal youth is freely offered to
whomsoever will freely partake.
But few people realize that owing to
our climatic conditions and healthful-
ness, we are renewing the life and
youth Of thousands Of men and wom-
en- who could not live elsewhere, max
ing them valuable and useful members
of society.
In our berries, fruits and vegeta-
blss, we are making life worth liv-
ing to many people of the other states.
In our millions OF pounds OF fish an
nually shipped to all parts of our
country, we are rejuvernatfng the
brain Of the nation. Through our
phosphate, of which we furnish more
than half OF the nations output, we
are rejuvernating the lands of the ma
aion. Through our pine forests we are
furnishing one-third to one-half of
the turpentine with which, as basis
for paint, we are renewing and re-
juvernating most of the buildings OF
the nation. In our cotton seed oil. we
are furnishing our part of the delight
full oil you use; through this oil we
are out Heroding Herod in providing
you with the lard of king hog, and
through the meal OF our cotton seed,
we are providing the meat on your
cattle. In our high grade Sea Island
cotton, of which we produce about one
half OF that raised in this country. we
are furnishing without their knowing
it, a part of the fiber of the silk
dresses of the women. Through our
plume birds, we are furnishing the
hues OF the rainbow OF promise" to
the hats Of our women.
Though not a corn producing state,
we are furnishing in many instances
80
Acre-bread. the stan OF life. In all
that contributes to the necessities, the
comforts and luxuries of mankind, and
OF womankind, we are an ever increas-
sing factor.
On the reverse side OF this piece is
a representation of two Seminoles, in
q dug-out canoe, Florida tropical
scenes being in the background. The
Indian canoe is the first dreadnought
known TO our waters. Great as was
the dreadnought fleet of Ponce de
Leon, yet 1t would be as Insignificant
10 the dreadnought battleship Florida
as the dugout canoe was to this great
Meet. In the great battle of supremacy.
IN every line of human endeavor, Flor
ida Is one Of the dreadnought states
OF the world Extending through over
i've hundred miles of latitude, our eli
mate varies from sub-tropical to tenn
perate, producing the varied products
incident to such climate. We are
great in the products of the field, for
ests, mines, manufactures. fish and
commerce. Our lands are all easily
drained and easily irrigated.
With the exception of one-Texas-
we are the only state on the Gulf in
whose waters silver service could
be presented to the battleship bearing
its name. the same being OF the d.
mensions OF the battleship Florida
Only in Maine. Massachusetts,. New
York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Cali
fornia and the state of Washington
could such a presentation take place
After the completion OF the Panama
canal, binding more closely together
the rising sun OF the Orient with the
setting sun OF the Occident. this fac
will certainly be realized at least t
the extent OF revitalizing the grea
navy ward already established at tn,
important harbor OF Pensacola.
II will be observed that the handle.
OF the bowl are formed in the shap,
OF pelicans. know OF no more dig
nified bird than the pelican. I know
OF no bird which more gracefully rides
seen a pelican without at once think
ing Of its resemblance to the cartoon
representations OF one OF the grea
national senator's. Roscoe Conkling
You will observe that the support
are in the shape of alligators. ALI
gators used TO be very plentiful
throughout our state. They used I,
play a very important part in TIT
drainage Of some Of the low lands o
the state. by cutting trails from on
pond TO another, the trail being grad
ually enlarged into bitches and small
streams. Their rapid destruction ma.
be illustrated in the following rhyme
Hush little gator. don't you cry
You'll be a suit case by and by.
There will be observed, too, tn
name OF our state and the name OF tn
great battleship Florida Shaksper
has asked. Whats in a name? A ros
by any other name would smell a.
sweet" II there were no Florida
Nryna ~ AoA T. A.