The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1919-10-24
WILL ORGANIZE
STATES TO
DEVELOP SOUTH
Plan Outlined by c. S. Ucker and
Others at Meeting Here
Last Night

Others at Meeting Here
Last Night
A plan for the development of the
coastal plain states of the South In
the manner Of the West of James q.
Hill, empire builder. in the manner OF
Western Canada. and of California,
was made before highly represen-
tative audience of business men and
farmers of Ocala and Marion county,
in the court house last night. by Mr..
C.. S. Ucker, of Baltimore, ex-vice-
president of the Southern Settlement
and Development Organization. Talks
OF. the same topic were made also by
DIR. w. F. Blackman, president of the
State Live Stock Association, and
Judge A. +. Chamberlain, of South
Dakota, a representative of the In
ternational Harvester Company. The
gentlemen were invited to speak here
by the Marion County Board of
Trade. They are making addresses
in eighteen other Florida cities on the
same subject. Their purpose is to
organize a statewide body of land
owners, farmers, business and pro-
fessional men to undertake the de-
velopment of this state, to cooperate
with similar organizations in the
other states of the coastal plain. and
the eighteen cities are being asked to
send delegates to convention to be
held in Jacksonville, during the State
Fair.
The talks of the three men. last
night, were warmly received. What
they said was endorsed by the meet
ing, and five delegates will be ap-
pointed from Marion county to attend
the convention in jacksonville. The
Board of Trade met last night at
o'clock and adjourned Immediately to
the circuit court room to hear the
distinguished speakers. Mr.. I. t.
Munroe introduced DR.. Blackman as
the first speaker. DR.. Blackman told
the audience Of the great work being
done by the Georgia Land Owners
Association, and similar OrganiZa-
tions in other coastal plain states.
DR.. Blackman stated that three
things were necessary for the de-
velopment of the South-"vision, CO.
operation and a vitalized will" He
told, also, something of the organiza-
tioh of the Southern Settlement and
Development Organization, as the re-
suit of movement began by the late
President Finley of the Southern
Railway.
DIR. Blackman introduced Mr.
Ucker, as Vice-president of the South
ern Settlement and Development Or,
ganization since it's formation, and
who formerly had been for ten years
connected with the federal land ser,
vice. Mr.. Ucker began by calling at
tention to the fact that there are
300,00O,000 acres of idle land in the
South. The most of this. he said, i!
in the coastal plain states. from Vir
ginia to Texas. 1t was for the pur
pose of bringing about the develop
ment of these lands. mostly cut-ovel
lands resulting from the destruction
of the forests that the Southern Set
tlement and Development Organiza
tion was started. Mr.. Ucker statet
that three things were in the way O.
the South's progress. These he named
as artificial defects. lack of deter
mination to do things, and the atti
tude of others toward u.s." He state,
that there are artificial defects tha
must be gotten rid of before these idl
lands can be settled. The South, h
said, would have to have more goo
roads, better schools. better healtl
conditions and drainage. Mr.. Ucke
said that the civil war had left tn
South broken in spirit, and that tn
South would have to regain determi
nation to do things. He then referre
to the attitude of the rest of tn
world toward the South, saying tina
the eyes of the world had not bee
turned toward the South as they ha
been turned upon our great wes
and Central Canada. and, in more re
cent times, upon California.
Mr.. Ucker pointed out that variOu
attempts at colonization had resulte
in total failure. and that some othe
means must be found of settling thi
section of the country. 1t was point
ed out by Mr.. Ucker that the program
of the Southern Settlement and DE-
velopment Organization contemplate
the organization of state association
in every coastal state of the Soutl
and of some inland states, to assist
the great work; the betterment {
local conditions, in the matter
building good roads. Improvement {
health and sanitation. Improvement {
rural schools, finishing off the catt