The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1914-01-22
ALL HAVE FAITH
IN DEEP WATER CITY
Misfortune For q Few VIII
Prove Blessing For the
Many and City Itself Win
Be Large Gamer by Get
ting Rid OF Big Debt and
Interest Burden.

T. L. Cant has returned from . trip
over the West Florida territory. in
view Of the peculiar surface condi-
tions of the Pensacola business world,
it will be of interest to print g sum
mary Of the impressions OF go we'll
known business man and so close an
observer as is Mr.. Cant.
'T was looking for q certain degree
Of pessimism, said AIr Cant, s'espec-
tally in the smaller towns tributary
to Pensacola. was, to a certain eX-
tent, in an apologize mood when I
started out, ready 10 advance reasons
and explanations-in fact to apologize
for the temporary conditions exist
ing in Pensacola.
But I had scarcely talked mo-
ment to the first man Of importance
up country until I realized that I was
in wrong. Before I had seen a half
dozen. had forgotten all about the
need for explanations, and / began to
realize that these men Of large affairs
were thoroughly familiar with the sit
uation.
mo one met had lost confidence in
Pensa cola or its future. Their faith
in its future greatness is as unbounded
as ever. They assured me that none
Of the smaller town banks have suf-
fered more than d slight Inconvenience.
They are more than ever interested
in Pensacola.
This fact was brought out in an
interesting way by group Of men
gathered In Tallahassee. They got me
in a corner, SO to speak, and asked me
a hundred ouestious-not about condi-
tions at all-but about possible bar
gains. Bargains, mind you. At least
three OF these men, VINO are heavy
weights, assured me that there was
100000 in cash ready 10 be thrown
into the game in Pensacola if there
were bargains in sight.
These mems hats are n the ring
They meant what they said, and they
besought me to keep them in touch
with conditions and let them know
the moment q, sufficient number OF
Pensacolians got cold feet to make it
worth while.
The way I see it, said one man,
IS that Pensacola is settling up a
Ave- million dollar debt with q single
million of dollars. That makes a saw
ing Of a little matter Of 100000 year
in interest charges. Quite a sum,
s400 900 You people are just that
much ahead. OF course, ii hits a few
OF you pretty hard, but il cannot help
but benefit all the rest. I wouldn't
say that the condition is the most
desira BILE one, but II it had to come
and we all know it had to come sooner
or later. it was the best thing that
-
rfes OF failures, mean. A lot of busi-
ness was being done on a false basis
This tent pin game Of failures has
knocked the props out from under
every shaky or unbusinesslike propo-
sitiOn. When It is over, you are down
TO a bed rock business basis, and best
OF all you know just where you stand
4 heard frequent mention Of Mr.
Mayes's editorial citing the fact that
every foot Of ground was still here.
All seemed pleased with the editorial
but insisted that Mr. Mayes did not
go far enough. It waseln this con-
nection that the above was brought
out-rhe fact that not only is all our
wealth still present, but that we, In
the mass, are several million dollars
ahead Of the game and that these fail
ures have taken large sums from
very few, which sums will bo dis
tributed among the many
'I have been consistently optimistic
about the situation, but this trip has
given me no end of satisfaction. 1t
is good for all of us to know that the
neigh 0ors are not worrying about our
and they expect US to emerge
from our slight illness stronger than
ever"