The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-02-11
MANY FAMILIES
AWAITING PASSAGE
Of GOOD ROADS LAW

Considering what I knew be-
fore l came to Florida, and in
connection with what I have
learned since l have been here
about 10000 families are await
ing the enactment OF cempre-
hensive good roads law for thi:
state before improving the prop
erty they own in Florida" sale
Charles E. Foote, good roads
specialist for the Florida State
Good Roads Association, on hi:
return from Gainesville yester.
day; where Wednesday he ad.
dressed an enthusiastic gather.
! ing of good roads boosters o.
Alachua county.
I He reports that the Gaines.
vile meeting was a splendid one
Mrs. O. Brownell, of Live Oak
special agent for the good roads
association, also attended the
Gainesville meeting.
| Most of these people, who
are awaiting a comprehensive
lgood roads law" continued Mr.
Foote, will be permanent set.
tiers, who will cultivate their
fertile lands here, the same as
they have in less attractive
zones.
Some of them, whose COM
mercial interests keep them else
where most of the year, will
build winter homes here. Some
of both of these classes have
long owned the properties and
are simply waiting anxiously for
the day when it will be possible
to market the crops they will
grow, but all wait for laws
which will eventually secure
highway Improvement.
"Your railroads sell Home
seekers tickets, and bring to the
state large number of people
who are honestly looking for
homes in this beautiful state.
Your city has started a stop in
Jacksonville movement, and a
dozen other cities each of which
has especial attraction, start
movements favoring their locali-
ties. All Of these movements
are praiseworthy, and deserve To-
cal support of the most pro-
nounced character. The whole
country will be benefited by
knowing of the advantages.
Efficiency Bureau.
But where do you get off?
You in Jacksonville employ an
efficiency bureau to tell you
scientifically you should have
factories in Jacksonville. Every
city in Florida would do we'll to
do the same thing. Outside ef-
hciency engineers by scientific
research can discover hundreds
of factors and resources in any
community that have been lying
around loose, unutilized, and
overlooked.
Then what about Florida3
Where does the state come in!
"Is the creature greater than
its creator: Is any part greater
than the whole?
docs not the intelligence of
every citizen, every business
business man, every merchantl
every real estate dealer, every
hotel proprietor, every banker,
every manufacturer, teach him
him that the ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF
a localized interest to point
which will overshadow greater
interests of the whole state, is
a direct blow backward or a sort
Of boomerang?
George Mason was wiser.
In starting a grand movement
for a Florida state fair, it was
for Florida state fair. Its To-
cation was Incidental, due to
economic and transportation
factors. The presentation of
the advantages of Florida to the
civilized world must have been
the conception of Mr.. Mason
and for the conception. he must
be credited. But if Mr.. Mason
had tried for a Jacksonville state
fair he would have been on the
same plane as some one who
wanted a Tampa state fair, or
a Miami state fair, or a Pnsaco-
la state fair, instead of a Flori-
da state fair.
Good roads for Florida spells
good roads laws, and a state de-
partmnt of roads. An attempt
to localize influence and effort is
an attempt to interfere with and
retard the progress of the state
as whole.
Before the beginning of the
present European unpleasant
ness S2oo,ooo,ooo was spent an
nually by Americans in touring