The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1916-04-28
Two Hundred Members
Are In Pensacola
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ton. Here" he said, call the wealth
and visible resources of this great
section are made evident and the in
terests of West Florida and Alabama
have so much in common that q COM
mon sentiment and regard has exist
ed to so great an extent as TO give
rise to plan to join this section to
Alabama. And still we feel that you
ought to belong to us, and we want
to belong to you.
In concluding, he said that It is
truly delightful to be guests in the
Only HiIl-coast town in the country,
End that they would feel themselves
free to make liberal use of the three
brands of water, and hoped that PEN
sacola would be governed by the rules
of polite society and return the visit. p
MR. KEITH SPEAKS.
Following Mr.. Welles, James Keith,
Jr., president of the association, then
delivered his annual address. He said
IN part:
We have come to the historic city
of Pensacola for our twenty-fourtb
annual convention. We know that it
is an hospitable city because we have
been importuned for several years to
meet here. We do not wonder that
Pensacola wishes her splendid situa-
ton to be known to the world. We
do not wonder that Pensacola desires
to come into close contact with Ala
bama bankers. She has large bust
ness relations with our people and it
is only a boundary line that separates
us; our hearts and interests are
united.
The imperial state of Alabama looks
with longing eyes on all the splendid
possibilities here exhibited, not the
least of which is the finest harbor on
the American coast. Alabama asks,
"How long, Watchmanl before this
splendid gem, with all her kindred
ties, shall fill the place left vacant in
my CROWN" We have a feeling in
Alabama that the people of Florida
are as generous in their views as we,
and if this splendid city wishes to
unite with US, she shall not be denied.
GENERAL BUSINESS CON-
DITIONS.
The outlook upon the world today
is scarcely more promising in so far
as restoration TO peace is concerned,
than it was when we last met. In
fact, since then several other nations
have become engaged in war, the
United States itself being one of
them, having entered upon a deter
mined step to punish that bloody vii
liam and murderer in Mexico. The
only nation of Importance today not
engaged in war, great or small, is
sleepy China, and it would seem that
with all her cause for war against
the whole world, a better epigraIn
would be 'aToo weak to fight" rather
than 'Too proud to fight" This
brings the thought that no nation can
afford to enter upon a career of ac-
cumulating riches through the hard
work and thrift Of its people, without
having sufficient foresight to be pre-
pared 10 defend them, and as far as
l am concerned, am a firm believer
in preparedness, rather than in bot
tied grape juice and the Dove of
Peace.
i Since we last met billions o. dol
lars and human lives by the hundreds
of thousands have been lost in the
European conflict that still RACES,
The debt heaped upon those peoples
Is more than double the entire amount
Of their national Indebtedness prior
TO the beginning of the conflict, when
their people groaned under. the bur
den of taxation. The taxation they
complained previously of then is
small beside the levy that will be
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