The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1917-02-09

sort paradises, publicity and railroad
made; without its celebrated oyer-the-
ocean highway to Key West in a
word, if Henry B. Plant and Henry NJ.
Flagler-outsiders both of them-had
"let Us alone"
No, for years and years the Consti
tuition has been saying to the people
of the east. why go o California in
search of the earthly paradise. when
right here at your own doors-in Flor
ida-are to be found climate and con-
ditions far surprising anything on the
Pacific coast"
The whole truth aboC. Governor
Cats in his rather pernicious note is
that he has miscOnstrued as criticism
a good-humored comment. He should
have his sense of humor overhauled,
because evidently it is not working
just as it should
When we saw his statement that he
was in such an unfortunate sosition
that he hadn't time to say his prayers,
read his Bible, nor the newspapers,
we say there is too good an opening
for even a lazy" editOr-as he char
acterizes us-to overlook; in fact. for
anybody with even fair sense OF hui
more to fail to take advantage of
To be perfectly frank, even though
he doesn't find time to read his Bible
and pray we don't believe for a mo-
ment that Governor Cats is going to
hell. We believe that he is a man OF
thoroughly honest ntentions-some-
times a little emotional. perhaps, and
quick to stamp his foot, as in the pres
ent instance-but in the final day of
judgment he-aS all of us-will be
Judged by good intentions. Believing
that, we shall even pray-for, busy as
we are, we have time to pray-that
due allowance will be made in that
day for the fact that the cares of
state have wedged in between the
governor and his Bible and his prayer
book.
And We are going to do what we
can to make Florida even more pro-
nouncedly the paradise of the south
than it is today.
And, incidentally if Governor Cats
is not too busy on Florida Day" at
the Land Show we extend him a cor
dial invitation to como up here and
let the Land Show and Atlanta show
him what we really think of him and
his wonderful state In the meantime,
if in playful humor. we have hurt
the governors feelings. we most pro-
fOundly apologize.
In conclusion, we note on the gov
ernor's letterhead, conspicuous upon
the seal OF Florida. is the states mot
TO. In God We Trust" 1t is contra
dictOry that the chief executive of a
state with such a motto as that is
kept too busy to say his prayers or
read his Bible" He ought to demand
that he be given at least time to do
those things-and TO glance at the
newspaper occasionally to keep his
mind abreast of the times.
Everybody. we contend. should take
time to say his prayers and read the
Bible. 1t is duty we owe our souls:
and especially is this true of the gov
ernor OF a state upon whose seal is
emblazoned the declaration that it
trusts in God" How. we ask. can
trust in God reasonably and consist
emily be placed by a state which so
overworks it's governor that he can
not obey the Divine injunction 10 do
the very things that tbs governor
says he cannot do?
And. when we note how we'll Gov
ernor Cats is doing as governor
what a splendid record he is making
handicapped as he is by overwork, we
almost gasp in wonderment at what
he might do. if he would only snatch
"a moment or so daily to do the things
that by not doing. is so distressing
him Atlanta Constitution.
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