The Punta Gorda herald. [volume] (Punta Gorda, Fla.) 1893-1958, 1916-02-03
PUNTA GoRDA, FLORIDA,

Richard H, Edmonds, editor
and general manager of the Man.
ufacturers' Record, the well.
known Southern development
publication, who is stopping fol
a few days at the Tampa Bay
gives out a most interesting in.
terview upon Florida. He
says he thinks this state is the
nations greatest asset. "Mr. Ed
monds is psending the winter
here. He has a home in Daytona.
1t is one Of the most interesting
impressions ever related to a
newspaper man, regarding this
state,and his quotations are print
ed in the following:
"Florida is one of the nation s
greatest assets.
Taking all things into consid-
Grafton | do not believe that there
is any other state in the Union of
such potential value to the coun-
| try as Florida.
"The resources of other Sec
tions in coal or iron or timber or
water powers are duplicated else
where in the country. There is
no other state so unique in its adj
yantages that there could not be
found, at least to a large extent,
a counterpart in some other state.
But as to Florida, this is not true.
This states potentialities in every
respect entirely unlike those of
any other state in the Union,
make it of supreme Importance
to the nation from many points
of view. Considered from that
Of climate alone it is of vast ma
tional Importance, for year after
year the number of people who
seek in the balmy climate of Flor
ida rest, recreation and health
from the biting, blasting billiards.
of the North and West, will stead
lily increase.
Population on Increase
"The lives of many thousands
of people of great Importance to
the nations business interests
will be heightened or saved by
visits to Florida. Ultimately the
population of this state, drawn
largely by climate, will run into
the millions.
ut is a trite saying that Flori-
da will become the great winter
playground of the nation. But
Florida will be far more than
that. 1t will be to the tired bus
mess man needing rest, a winter
haven where he can regain
strength and vitality for the
great burdens that every business
man must carry. 1t will at the
same time be for the man of mod
crate means, likewise a haven of
rest, for as Florida becomes more
and more developed, it will pro-
vide to larger extent that is now
opportunities for the
man of moderate means as well
as for the poor man and the rich
man.
"ln this state will be built UP
one of the greatest civilizations of
the age, for here will commingle |
active virile men from all sections
and all classes, united in the up
of what is practically
new or virgin territory, but hav-
ing the diversity of thought and
education and ambition which is
essential to the highest develop
nent of a country.
All that has been done in the
development of Florida is merely
5he pioneering work of making
ready the way for the hundreds
If thousands who in the near fu-
,ure will seek this state as a per-
nanent or a winter home. The
movement is already under way
,ut only in its infancy.
"The country at large has not
yet walked up to a full realiza-
ion of Florida s climatic advan-
ages and of the superb beauty /;
pots to be found in so many parts
If this state.
GAS the playground and the
lealth and recreation center of
he country for winter, Florida 4
possesses advantages from the
lational standpoint unlike those
# any other state. In this re-
pect alone, if it had nothing but
Innate on which to build, it {
would be one Of the nation s most ]
PRICELESS assets, and this climate, s
ccording to those who spend
heir summers here, is relatively
S good in summer as in winter.