The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1919-12-16
START WITH WEST FLORIDA

The people OF Florida nave made many mistakes
in the past, but most OF them were made with
unfamilarity with existing conditions in the state
In lengthy editorial. the Times-Union calls at
tention to the fact that one OF the most costly
mistakes made by Florida, and persisted in by a
great many people. is the spirit Of antagonism be-
tween sections and localities and among peo-
pie in each locality. Says the Times-Union: In
plain words it is the knocking spirit that has pre-
vailed and still prevails to extent that is de-
|plorable"
II the Times-Union is sincere in this statement
and The Journal believes that it is then the T.-U.
should Immediately start campaign in Jackson
willie to stamp out the spirit which seeks to dis
parage other cities and sections.
Both the Miami Metropolis and the Miami Herald
have recently called attention. editoriay, to dis
position of certain persons Jacksonville to seek
to prevent travel to Miami.
No one for moment, knowing the wide pub
licty which the two Jacksonville papers give to
every section of the state particularly the edi-
torial pages, doubt the interest OF those pub
lications in state development and those newspapers
could do nothing better than to promote feeling
of interest in other sections of the state beside
North and South Florida.
The Times-Unon says: III the proposed Flor
ida Development association succeed in elimi-
mating this bad feature in Florida it will have
accomplished a splendid thing and its success in the
sured 1t repeatedly stressed that reason for
the wonderful success attained by California was
the fact that it INDUCED the boost spirit to the
limit and no matter what topic introduced every
resident of the state had something good to say
about California When the people of Florida come
to realization of what this cooperative spirit
means to the state they will find that it is entirely
Improbable to knock anything anywhere and II all
agree to get together and boost they will find the
values Of lands in the state increasing rapidly and
the conditions will become more favorable for
settlement and development"
The Journal would suggest that one OF the best
ways in which Jacksonville and other tcties could
show Ihis spirit of cooperation would be to boost
for centennial for Pensacola.
1t was the understanding when the centennial
movement was started that it would be a fair fight
and no favor. Naturally each city boosted for its
own, until it clearly demonstrated that PEN
sacola was the only city which really wanted the
centennial celebration, had any just claim to IT,
Now that this has been clearly proven, would not
an active campaign back of the West Florida city
go far toward proving that Florida is sincere in its
efforts to boost every section.
The north Florida metropolis has had every adj
vantage of state and federal aid which was neces-
sary to put forward improvements; the same has
been true Of South Florida. West Florida has
voted for many improvements for North and South
Florida now this section Of the state is looking to
the rest of the state to aid in the movement for
a great centennial celebration here worthy the
state and the nation.
The Journal believes that a celebration COM
mensurate with the Importance OF the anniversary
would do much not only to promote West Florida.
but the state and entire South. West Florida has
worked for the rest of Florida; let the other
sections of Florida work for Pensacola and the
other towns in this territory, and put forward the
state for quarter Of century.