The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1919-10-30
WE HAVE KEPT THE FAITH

l.
once more the decision of the centennial commits
sion held in allegiance in spite OF the ract 'ha'
already four meetings have been held, two in jack
sonviIle one in Tallahassee and one in Pensacola
Jacksonville has once been designated as the
meeting place of the commission, when another ef-
fort will be to arrive at a conclusion.
After Wars OF work on the part of Pensacola;
after it's public have given their time and In
fluence TO the promotion a centennial celebration
for Florida originating with Pensacola man; pre-
scented to the Florida delegation in congress by a
Pensacola man; and presented by a Florida senator
70 the United States government at the behest OF
a Fensacoa committee: there likelihood that
the centennial which born here: has been fos-
r.,ed here which this city only has rshttui
claim. is to be erner taken over bodily II IaeAson-
vile or else dismembered into four separate state
fairs.
At the last moment when all fairness the COM
rniss;on should have rendered their decision Tampa
has come forward to present claim, urging that
the centennial be divided into four fairs.
John s. Beard N his speech before the commits
sion IL met here on Monday. stated Pensacola
nostIon very clearly when he said, that Pensacola
aid not. that it within the province of the
commission divide the centennial into four fairs
as Tampa has suggested.
Jacksonville has expressed itself as strongly OPP
posed to the our-cornered fair. And, up to a few
days ago, the fight exposition confined
to Jacksonville and Pensacola.
St Augustine dropped many months ago. with
the ayowed intention of neutrality, to suddenly
within a few days. become active contestant for
sharing honors with Jacksonville.
I'VE MUST not let this big thing go to Pensacola"
says the Record the close of column editorial
devoted telling how much the centennial will help
st. Augustine and Jacksonville.
Let us look with close attention to some of the
assertions of the St Augustine Record The Record
declares historically ST. Augustine has the prior
claim-when II is authenticated historical fact
that Pensacola of the first provisional
government of Florida, which was later removed to
St Augustine and later still to Tallahassee.
St Augustine and Jacksonville have repeatedly
announced that their hotel accommodations are not
now sufficient and there is serious possibility
OF these cities being unable to cope with the
tourist this winter How, then with all their
hotels, will they be enabled to take of the
crowds any more satisfactorily than Pensacola!
Wherever centennial is held hotels must be built
and accommodations of every kind increased. Pen
better able to take these steps than jack
sonvie. because Jacksonville has float its bonds
for the state fair while Pensacola has available
bonds sum 81 100000 which and will be
used for centennial purposes.
The location on the ST. Johns river does not COM
advantageousiy to any location that Pensacola
&c offer.
After all the charges and charges. the
claims and assertions, that are being put forward,
the gist of whole thing SINNERS itself down to
the words of the St. Augustine Record: I'VE MUST
let this big thing go Pensacola" The fact
that Pensacola originated the big thing. that it
advertised by Pensacola people; that 1t has been
advocated by Pensacola people for the past four
years: that but for the war. the movement would
already be we'll under and that in all probability
government appropriation would already have been
made, seems to have significance to Jacksonville
and st. Augustine.
One thing have been entirely overlooked
presenting claims, that the legal aspect
Of the The commission appointed by the leg
isIature has been empowered to do thing, and
that only, and that is choose site in Florida for
a centennial celebration commemorating pur-
chase of Florida. There the duties of the commits
sion end. They have absolutely right split the
centennial up into four fairs.
Tampa and St. Augustine dropped out long ago,
and in all fairness should have remained neutral.
allowing Pensacola and Jacksonville fight it out
the grounds of right and justice. The fact that
Il has been necessary for cities of north and
Florida form a combination to take the
centennial celebration away from this part of the
state. would seem to prove most conclusively that
they fighting within their rights.
Pensacola has further arguments present.
There is just much room here there is
in Jacksonvile; Pensacola can. should be to
get the state and federal appropriations
Jacksonville get; Pensacola has more money to
start with than Jacksonville and has spirit that
other city in the state has to back its claims-a
spirit that has manifested itself for all
fairness. and has waited until the last moment
to present claims founded aggression against any
section OF the state