The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-09-06
"The Days Are Pleasant and the Nights
Delightful in Florida All Summer

Jacksonville, Sept. 5.-Two weeks
ago today, with the thermometer in
almost every part of the North in the
neighborhood of 100 degrees and the
humidity so great as to make the heat
almost unbearb]e, it is estimated that
10,000,0 900 people opened their favo-
rite Sunday papers to be confronted
with a big, bold advertisement of the
summer charms Of Florida.
This ad, occupying space of about
quarter page. inserted in leading
Sunday papers from Boston to Topeka,
was illustrated with an attractive de-
sign showing some of the summer
activities Of Florida and compelled
attention by the prominent display
lines, "The Days are Pleasant and the
nights Delightful in Florida all Sum-
mer."
There followed series of straight
from-the-shoulder statements proving
the contention that Florida is scarcely
less delightful in summer than in
winter, giving comparative tempera-
ture figures and explaining in detail
where in the location and shape Of the
state and it's proximity to gulf and
ocean cause it to be swept constantly
by cool breezes.
AS in the minds of most Northern
people there has been prevalent the
mistaken idea that because Florida is
warm in winter, necessarily it must
be hot i'm summer, this advertisement
naturally attracted widespread atten-
ton. It's appearance was at the
psychological moment to make pro-
found impression, owing to the selec-
ton of date, on the advice of it's ad-
vertising counsel, by the Florida First
Commission, which was responsible
for its insertion.
Scores of letters were written to al
most every one of the papers, which
carried the advertising, many of them
questioning the statements made in it
and others asking for further infor-
nation as-te how it could be possible
for Florida to be cooler in the sum-
mer than sections so much further
north. Many of these letters were
published, and as a result, the news
papers were flooded with ohtre COM
munications from persons who have
lived in Florida, support all the claims
made by the Florida First Commits
sion. In consequence of this letter
writing, the state has secured free
space to several time the value of the
paid advertising which was done.
Agricultural Resources.
1t was the purpose of the commits
sion, in the insertion of this summer
climate ad, to overcome the general
feeling through the North that Flori-
da must be unbearably hot in summer.
Every operator in Florida lands has
found this feeling to be the chief oh.
stacle in securing the interest in this
state as a place Of year-round resi-
dence. The advertising of the COM
mission to follow will emphasize the
varied agricultural resources and it
was felt by the members that its ef-
ficiency would be greatly increased II
the real facts in regard to summer
conditions here could be placed before
the people in striking manner. The
comment in the Northern newspapers,
following the appearance Of the eli
mate ad, would indicate that 1t had
the desired result.
Quite Unexpectedly, many of the
boards of trade and chambers Of COM
mercie contributing to the advertis-
ing fund of. the Florida First Com
mission have received a considerable
number of Inquiries from this summer
climate ad. Reports from several of
these commercial bodies show that
from twenty-five to seventy-five letters
asking further information have been
received by each. At the Jacksonville
Chamber of Commerce yesterday it
was stated that fully fifty letters had
come in as direct result of the Florida
First Commission ad. Fort Myers,
Miami, Orlando and Quincy are others
of the participating cities which have
had very satisfactory inquiry, acord-
ng to their local papers.
NEW SILVER COINAGE