The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1912-06-28
DISSATISFIED BUYERS SHOULD
NOT BLAME FLORIDA LANDS

NOT BLAME ELVh1UA AnNDS'
We have before us copy OF "Ihe
Free Press" newspaper publlsheI
in Tampa, which devotes considerable
space 10 the alleged wrongs OF GER
tain parties, who We're persuaded oy
land company literature to put their
money in certain Florida land prop
osi,ions. and who nave Deen greatly
disappointed in their investments.
This paper has repeatedly de-
nounced the methods OF conscience
less land grafters, who. by lar!
tales, induce the guileless denizen OF
another section TO invest in Florida
lands which do not by any means
come up to the representations OF inc
highly colored literature. But, at the
same time, we feel that in many m
stances those who complain OF being
sung have shown such utter lack
Of ordinary common sense that one
can but wonder how they escaped
having their money taken away from
them before they ever heard OF Flor
ida II would seem that any person
who had arrived at the age OF reason
would know that, while there are
greater opportunities in some Sec
tons of the country than in others,
in no place can they expect to find
conditions where wealth can be Sc.
cured without reasonable effort. II
such a place ever existed they can
rest assured that some one else has
beat them to it. Intelligent people
beware of all propositions that look
too good. \ good business man. for
instance, will have to be shown
before he takes hold OF any invest
ment that promises to pay more than
a net ten per cent He argues that
no one would be hawking such good
thing around. but that investors
would have eagerly gobbled it up be-
fore it had to be offered in the high
ways and byways. The same prin.
ciplc holds good in the matter OF
lands and location; and, while ".
sympathize with the principal in tn,
fool and his money tragedy, W,
cannot but feel that such people hav,
only themselves to blame for thei'
misfortune.
There is hardly a reputable news
paper in Florida that has not repeat
edly warned prospective purchaser
ct Florida lands that they should SO
the lands before buying, or. at least
make reasonable investigation TeXa
is a great State, and has some of tn
most fertile lands in the world; yc
one may travel for weary mile
through certain sections of 1t. an
not find what would afford sustel
ancc to horned toad. The sam
statement applies with equal truth
California. and in a greater or LEI
degree to every State of the tniOl
Yet to condemn the lands of thes
States because of the lack of pr,
ductivencss of certain portions I
them, is manifcstly absurd. If
Floridian should buy land from
company exploiting western land
tor instance. without investigator
the proposition. his conscrvati,
neighbors would expect nothing el:
except that he would gsi the wor
of the bargain. Vet people will hi
land in Florida sight unseen. sole
ON the representation ot an intercs
cd party. and "holler" if they don
find it covered with gold dollars
The lands are here a. good as c;
lc found in the country: the oppo
tunities are here for the settler. Il
homchuildcr. the investor. Ii on
requires the mcrest modicum of COZ
mon sense in selecting ones loeati,
10 insure that the newcomer 10 Flo
ida will become one of the hap
hand of satisfied Florida residents.