The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1920-02-06
CENTENNIAL MOVE REVIVED
Committee of 100 Resolves to
Send Memorial to Senators
Asking Federal Aid
BEARD TELLS OF FIGHT
Every Speaker Impresses Idea
That Chance to Put Big Show
On Is Here At Last

! That enthusiasm for the Florida Pur-
| chase Centennial has not died out in
Pensacola, and that organized effort
will put over the great international
| celebration, was demonstrated at a
meeting held last night at the city hall
at which resolutions We're passed that
members of congress be memorialized
and their aid invited for securing fed
eral aid in holding this exposition, to
the extent of at least six million dol
| lars, this appropriation and aid to be
based upon the condition that the citi-
| zens of Pensacola and OF Florida, to-
gether with legislative aid from the
| state of Florida be secured to the eX-
tent OF three million, and that a COM
mittee of five be selected by the chair
man to go to Washington and pre-
sent this resolution to the senator's and
representatives, and enlist their aid in
securing the appropriation.
The resolution Has introduced by
r. Pope Reese, who in a. stirring speech
called upon the members of the CEN
tennial committee to stand by their
colors, and press on to the goal set by
themselves, when the centennial move
| ment was started.
A motion was made by Mr.. Reese.
and also carried, that the procedure
committee, which had in preparation
papers of incorporation of one mil
lion dollar company, make their re-
| port back to the central committee, at
a meeting to be held on the evening
| of Tuesday, February H. prelimi-
nary meeting of this committee will
be held on Monday evening.
The meeting was opened by the chair
man of the committee of One Hundred
DR.. F. G. Renshaw, who, after calling
upon the members to rally again to
the cause in which they had enlisted.
gave a short resume of the movement
and introduced Hon. John 6. Beard. Mr.
Beard spoke briefly of the decision OF
the supreme court, showing that i'm
consideration of the fact that the leg
isla.ture of 1915 had passed resolution
unanimously designating Pensacola as
the centennial city of Florida, and in
1917 had authorized the issuance of
bonds. to the sum OF S5OO.0O0 having
repeated this in 1919, that through the
decision of the supreme court OF Flori-
da the centennial designation reverted
once more to this city
Mr.. Beard spoke with some feeling.
and touch of sarcasm, of the bitter
fight that had been waged, and the re
cent simmering down of that enthus-
iasm in some quarters, and gave it as
his opinion that if Pensacola did not
put over this centennial now, we should
have made our city the laughing stock
of the state This opinion was also
voiced by DR.. Renshaw, who designated
those who Withdrew their support now
as four flushers.
In the discussion of ways and means.
ATr int fnl IN ~
had already authorized to sell S500.0OO
worth of bonds: the 100000 OF bonds
for the municipal docks and belt line
road would make nearly one million
to be added to the million dollars fur
nished by the stock company, making
only one million dollars for state appro-
priation.
r. F. Cant. who was the first sub
scriber to the stock of the tentative
company organized at a previous meet
ing, raised his subscription one hundred
collars, making it eleven hundred in
stead of the original one thousand.
Mr.. Cant spoke of the splendid work
which had been accomplished by Port
land, which had held a very successful
fair, which was largely made possible
by securing the cooperation of the diff
fcrent states Of the union, many Of
which put up houses at cost Of many
thousands Of dollars. 1T was the sense
of the meeting that such plan could
be worked out in connection With the
Florida Purchase Centennial as has
been so with all such celebrations.
Mr. Beard called attention to the fact
that those who claim that it will be
impossible for Pensacola to get an ap-
preparation from the government, base
that supposition on nothing but their
own opinion But that those who be-
Iieve that Pensacola can secure an ap-
propriation base their supposition on
the fact that no such international
celebration has ever yet been refused
federal aid where it has been asked
with the understanding that the federal
will be met by a local.
or state appropriation.
Mr.. Beard pointed out that repubi-
can congresses in the past had aided
southern fairs. such as the Jamestown,
Exposition, the New Orleans Cotton
states Exposition, and others. and that
congresses had aided such
fairs as the San Francisco and San
Deigo Expositions. There seemed to
be 20 discrimination il congress was
in the right way.
O. J. Semmes acted as secretary OF
of the,meeting, and short talks were
made by A. G. Bnkley. Hobart Cross,
and others, in support Of the move
ment. Mayor Sanders was called upon
for a short talk and expressed the
conviction that the centennial move
ment would go through. and said that
if the twelve men whom he had ap-
pointed to serve on the committee. did
not actively participate. he would fill
the places OF the dcIinquents with
others who would take an active In
fgppst in The work