The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1914-09-04
DIVERSITY or CROPS AND ~
DusTRiEs NEEDED


In an excellent editorial the Ocala
Banner emphasizes the need OF our
state for a greater diversity of inter
ests. He recalls the time when thous-
ands of bales of sea island cotton
were grown in Marion county, and
adds that the raw material might
easily have been manufactured on the
spot, thus doubling the value OF IL
and bringing that additional amount
of revenue into the local channels of
trade. The same illustration is
drawn in regard to the tanneries that
used to exist there and the manufac-
ture of shoes and other leather goods.
and refers also to the need OF can
neries and other factories TO make
up into finished commercial shape
the products which our fields so
abundantly yield. Editor Harris
convincingly points the moral that
no community can be prosperous in
the greatest measure which is made
up entirely of farmers or of mer-
chants-that varied interests must be
sought, encouraged and sustained to
establish a we'll balanced commercial
community.
All that the Banner says of its
community may be applied with equal
force in Orlando and Orange county,
and in many other counties sof Flor
ida. In this favored section almost
anything can be grown. but we fail
to realize the greatest possible good
from the resources about us because
there is a lamentable lack of activity
in getting capital interested TO turn
raw materials into the finished com
mercial product. We import orange
marmalade from London. canned to-
matoes from Baltimore, pineapples
from the Philippines, corn meal from
Georgia. and so on down the line OF
the articles that are. or may be. pro-
duced right at home, paying the tariff
of the commercialized finish year in
and year out seemingly unaware that
it is this more than any other thing
that drains the pockets of the people
and keeps the bulk OF our citizens
pauperized when all might be highly
prosperous.
Our boards of trade should be well
organized and productive machines
for doing the work which is needed
to bring about the results suggest
ed. The people of Orlando have
subscribed for first one object and
another this year almost ten thOus-
and dollars. This amount has been
distributed to good purposes no doubt
We do not question this. But sup
pose the entire sum we're used Judi
ciously in promoting and securing
the location of factories for the con
sumption of our raw products.
wouldn't it be employed much better
purpose? A factory for the manu-
facture of fruit extracts. preserves
marmalades and the like would be-
godsend to the growers OF this sec
ton. affording them a market for
their culls and over-ripes. giving them
an opportunity to turn waste into coin
and making them that much better
off; it would give employment to
many, who would increase the popu.
lation and productiveness OF the com
munity, swell the revenues and lend
additional succor to the schools and
churches and other institutions OF
community life.
This is the kind of thing we need.
and we could have IL II the business
men came together in an organization
bound by strong ties OF unity. and
directed with the same earnestness
and sagacity that they bring TO the
management OF their own affairs.
Orlando Reporter.SfaF