The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1912-06-10
OPINION Of EDMONDS
On the Present Advantages and Re-
sources and Probable Pros
perity of Florida.

Richard II. Edmonds of Baltimore,
editor of the Manufacturers Record,
who has been on the west coast of
Florida for several weeks, stopped in
Jacksonville over night on his way
to Atlanta, and, discussing the south
and Florida, said:
"The meeting of the Georgia Bank
ers, association at Atlantic Beach Is
reminder of how wonderfully the
banking interests of the whole South
have grown of late years.
Hank Showing.
"In the sixteen Southern States.
CHASING Missouri and Oklahoma as
Southern, the individual deposits in
the national banks exceed by nearly
s100.O00,000 similar deposits in all
the national banks of the United
States in 1880. though the popula
tion of the whole country at that
time was 100000 more than the
present population of the South.
Deposits in all other financial in
stitutions for the same periods show
a very small difference against the
South, Very much of this remark
able gain has been made during the
last ten years. Up to that time the
South was struggling to overcome ad-
verse conditions.
Showing of Florida.
FLORIDA, for instance, had not re-
covered from the freeze of 1895 and
had not so developed its diversified
agriculture as to make itself forever
safe from similar conditions.
"The South as a whole had disas-
trously low prices for cotton from
1891 to 1901 and suffered like other
sections from the great agricultural
depression of the early nineties, when
grain was so low that western corn
growers found it more economical to
hurn corn for fuel instead of paying
the freight in shipping it.
ptversiftcatian of Crops.
"New the South, like Florida, has
learned to diversity it's agriculture
and as this State is no longer de-
pendent upon citrus fruits, so the
South is free from cotton as the one
dominating power in its bankers
life.
Favor of Capital Wan.
"In the last ten years the South
has done much more than merely build
| up the wealth indicated by it's larger
bank deposits. 1t has in that time de-
Iveloped every business interest, it has
accumulated vast amount of expert
enee, it has won the favor Of the husi
ness world and its credit everywhere is
of the highest, 1t has in effect built
a vast plant for doing business, equip
iped with the most up-to-date tools for
| handling Its rapidly expanding busi-
mess
On Limited Capital.
| Heretofore 1t has been doing bus
mess on a limited capital and with
| inadequate equipment and yet it has
been able to compete with the rich
| North and West with their vast capt.
tai and their splendid business plant
Now it has the capital and the plant
| that places it on a basis of fair
equality for future competitive work.
What it has achieved during the last
ten years while developing this plant
will be greatly surpassed by the pro-
gress of the next ten years.
| south Ready For Work.
| "Fhe South is now ready for work.
Its plant is new and modern. Here
tefore it has been working under dis
advantages that may be likened to
/
| operation while a new and more COM
plete structure was being built over
and around 1t to take its place and
old machinery was running as best
lit could while new machinery was
being installed.
| I'm such cases plant can only
be operated under great difficulties,
and its earnings are necessarily small
er than they would be under other
circumstances. Now the South has
been going through this 'construc-
ton PERIOD tearing down out-worn
! customs and plans and building UP
new equipment, new experience, new
capital and proving out its working
plants It is now like q new and
modern plant equipped to do business
with the best machinery and with
lcapital for successful operation.
Florida's Wealth Increased.
"Ten years ago, for instance. the
wealth OF Florida was not half as
great as 1t is today. Its population
lis growing rapidly, hut Its wealth Is
increasing twice fast Its popu-
liation. Florida's future Is no longer
questioned as 1t was then. The very
bitterness of California papers and
their constant attempts to belittls
Florida's climate advantages and il:
lcitrus fruit interests is proof positive
that they realize that Florida has
come into the field as a competitor
lsure to take from California its Boast
ed preeminence and to outdo tha
Estate IL material prosperity.
| California fruit as compared will
Florida fruit is far inferior that i
treminds me of story l heard il
Tampa. It runs this way: A lamp: