The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1919-06-20
CENTENNIAL OPPORTUNITY il
FLORIDA

the. United States as one of the ma
tons greatest assets is worthy of
fitting commemoration, equal in i'm,
portance to a world exposition, but
we are afraid that world exposition
is an undertaking of such magnitude
that it is too ambitious to be carried
through within the brief time be-
tween the present and 1921.
1t would seem, therefore that Flor,
ida must either postpone this expcsis
ton a year or two, or else undertake
some celebration less vast in it's mag,
nitude than would be a real wtsril
exposition We are inclined to feel
that there should not be a postgaa.
ment, but that there should be some
form Of celebration or exposition in
1921 worthy of its scope and impor
lance of that great event in American
history.
It would not be possible within two
years to provide hotel facilities lade-
quate for a worlds fair Indeed, we
believe that if the entire hotel facili-
ties of Florida could be doubled with
IN the next twelve or eighteen months
they would even then be scarcely AIDE.
quate to the regular tourist travel,
which by that time will be seeking
to spend the winter or a portion of
it in Florida. Many people are kept
away from Florida by the knowledge
that the hotel facilities are not equal
to the regular tourist business. Dur
ing the last few winters every good
hotel in the state so far as we have
been able TO learn, was overerowded
and had to turn away many guests
The first great movement in Florida
therefore, should be vigorous and
aggressive work for bringing in an
era Of hotel building, even if there
was no plan for centennial celebra,
ton.
If instead of calling its celebration
a world exposition, Florida would
adopt the term of Florida Centennial
Exposition" it would, we feel sure,
make wise move. The name would
be less ambitious, but it would be
ambitious enough to meet the situa-
tion and the result could be made
great enough to be worthy of the oc-
easion.
1t is difficult to speak in moderate
terms about Florida. 1t is well-nigh
impossible to exaggertae the posi-,
bilities of that state. Marvelously
endowed by nature, as it has been,
with winter climate unmatched by
any other part of America, with prox-
unity to the east and central west,
with great resources of many kinds,
Florida is unquestionably destined to
be one of the richest and most thick.l
ly settled sections of America outside
of the great congested districts of the
east and portions of the west.
Florida will be to this country what
California has been to the Pacific
coast. Moreover, it will be the win,
ter home of hundreds of thousands
OF people from other sections includ- |
ing the great, rich and people of mod
crate means. Florida is not, as some
have supposed, merely the winter
playground of the idle rich. 1t is |
the winter workshop of many people |
from other sections who spend their |
winters there because they can work
harder and live longer in that climate
than they could in the north and
west Many business men, seeking
to escape the bitter cold Of the north |
and the west. are establishing winter
homes in Florida and handling their
business from there with almost as
much facility as they could do il at |
home. Indeed. many of them find !
that the freedom from the strain of
cold weather and the freedam from
the petty details connected with all
office work enable them to think with
greater clearness and to work out
their problems TO better advantage
than when tied down to the routine
OF their Offices of their factories.
For this reason and because of The
ever-increasing throngs that will
crowd that state, there will come
more and more a recognition of the
iact that Florida is one of the ma |
tons most remarkable, and destined
10 De one of its most profitable as.
sets. 1t is fitting, therefore. that it's |
centennial as part of the United
States should be celebrated in a man. |