The Punta Gorda herald. [volume] (Punta Gorda, Fla.) 1893-1958, 1916-02-03
THURSDAY, FEB. 8, 1915.
Says Richard Edmouds of
Believe that There Any Other State in the Union of Such
Potential Value to the Country Specifically of the
States Varied Resources and Many Advantages.

But Florida has more than eli
mate; it is the one state in the q
lnion which can produce the limit
less supply of oranges and grape
fruit and early vegetables so es
sential to the nation s welfare.
Pacific Coast Inferior
ut is true that on the Pacific
coast some of these fruits can b,
lproduced, but the advantages o.
the Pacific coast in this respecf
are far inferior to those of Flori
da. Moreover, Florida is within
twenty-four to thirty-six hours
ride of very large proportion Of
the population of the nation. That
alone tremendously adds to its
strategic value as the health and
pleasure resort of the land, as
well as the center of production
for an almost infinite variety OF
foodstuffs needed by the nation.
From much of New England
| land of the Central West it is pos
lsible to reach Florida by one
nights travel and the journey has
no disadvantages or discomforts,
On the other hand, a trip to Cali
fornia means at the best four or
five days journey, much of il
through a desert of intolerable
discomfort to travellers, OF
through ice-bound, snow-covered
regions of the northern routes.
"The advantages are altogeth-
cr in favor of Florida.
"In the early days the romance
of California development and
the marvellous advertising of the
railroads turned the trend of pop
ulation that way and brought a.
bout the great wealth of the Pa
cific coast.
Ludicrous Advertising Blunders
"On the other hand, in the car
ly days of Florida's development,
railroads made many serious
blunders in advertising this state.
The literature of many Florida
roads at that time carried as the
most striking scenes, alligators,
negro babies and swamps. The
nation was made to believe that
they were the chief products of
Florida and there are millions Of
people in this country who still
have an idea that alligators roam
the public roads hunting negro
babies as their food, and that
swamps and malaria are every
where in evidence.
twenty-five years ago | ap-
pealed to some of the railroads
that were flooding the land with
this sort of literature to stop it
and pointed out the tremendous
injury they were doing the state.
Early impressions are very
lasting and so the early impress
sions Of Florida given to the ma
ton by this unwise advertising
has left it's lasting influence for
evil which is only now being re-
moved by the broader knowledge
that the nation is gaining as to
Florida and by the more intelli-
gent advirtising that the railroads
Of this state are doing.
"There is still room, however,
for advertising Florida to a far
greater extent than has ever been
lone. The work of advertising
his state through the campaign
'ecently inaugurated by the Pres
dent of the Tampa Board of
Trade, will give to the people of
his state and to the railroad Off
'ials an illustration of the power
If intelligent, well-handled adj
'ertising through the great daily
papers and magazines of the
North and West in arousing inter-
st in the charms and advantages
# this Heaven-favored land. But
lot until Florida is advertised as
california has been advertised
will the country fully understand
his state of infinite resources
nd matchless attractions.
Railroads Aid State
"The Union Pacific Railroad
mually spends about 100000 in
dvertising, very largely of Cali
ornia. AS compared with what
southern roads expend for adver-
ising purposes this amount is
taggeringly great. | do not be-
leve that it is so much the fault
t the officials of the Southern
Dads that their expenditures are
o much smaller than those of
california roads, but it is because
f the dominant influence of the
'reat banking houses and finan-