The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1920-08-05
THE GROWTH OF FLoRlpA.

ida, and so the news of the decrease
in population of few of the western
and northern counties has been hailed
by them with real delight.
One of these exchanges, in a long
editorial, as ungenerous in tone as II
is unfair in its presentment, has this
to say:
In marked contrast to this South
Florida showing Is that made by
many old counties in the northern
part of the state and on through to its
western end. Many of those counties
are showing a practical standstill,
while others have shown a decided
loss in population. The reason is
plain. South Florida offers more for
agricultural settlers than the old part
Of the state, except in cotton and hay
raising, and in those, save for cotton
only, there is nothing the southern
part of the peninsula of Florida does
not grow profitably. and more easily
than it can be grown in the rest of the
state or in any other state. Then, too,
the climatic differences are in favor
of the southern part of the state. We
are in the region of perpetual breezes,
and to one who has visited the inte-
rior of West Florida in July, August
say more"
If the South Florida newspaper is
referring in this to the counties of
Walton and Santa Rosa, perhaps it
may give him a new viewpoint, to
state that the decrease in these two
counties is due to the fact that Okla
loosa county is composed of territory
part of which was in Santa Rosa and
~,
census returns We're taken in 1910, SO
that, while these counties show an
apparent decrease. the population of
the territory has really greatly in
creased.
This criticism of the West Florida
counties is quite as fair as to compare
the inland towns of West Florida tc
the South Florida cities, to their
detriment as to climate Most of the
West Florida inland towns are situat-
edin a hilly part of the state, at the
foot of the Appalachian range, and the
pure air OF, this high altitude, together
with the ozone from the pine forests
and the breezes that sweep every part
of this section. make the West Florida
country particularly healthful and the
air most invigorating
If it is true, as the writer says,
that South Florida offers more for
agricultural settlers than the "old
part of the state" why is it that when
Escambia county entered an exhibit
at the state fair it was found neces-
sary to change the rules of that fair
to- meet with the rules of other agri-
cultural fairs, it having been acknowl-
edged that the exhibit that carried off
the first honors at the state fair in
1918 was a fruit exhibit, and not an
agricultural exhibit This is fact. All
the gentlemen who wrote the editorial
has to do is too look over the files
of the newspapers that carried the
story of the fair of 1918, and he will
see that, while Escambia county won
third premium, it was the opinion of
farmers from the west gathered in
Jacksonville in attendance on a great
farmers convention there,
that the county which carried off the
honors won on arrangement of ex-
hibit" and because the rules were ia
vorable to a fruit fair, and not to an
agricultural fair.
Following that fair, the rules were
made to conform to other agricultural
fairs, whereupon Escambia county
carried off first honors for both quail
lty and variety of agricultural ex-
hibits.
There is no section of the state that
can or does raise greater variety of
or of higher quality than
are raised in West Florida. The sea-
son in this section has been particu-
larly good. and we venture to say that
Escambia county will go over to the
state fair and carry off first agricul-
tural honors again, and if this county
does not get the blue ribbon, then
some other West Florida county will
take that silver loving cup home as a
The Journal does not believe in de-
preciating any section of the state. On
the contrary. it is the policy of this
paper to carry editorial matter and
news stories which promote all parts
of the state, but when the South
Florida newspapers start into roast
North and West Florida, we would
advise them to put up, or to shut
up" When they can prove that their
part of the state is so much superior
to this section, in actual agricultural
exhibits at the state fair, then and
then only, shall we become convinced
of the truth of that assertion.
However,: the possibilities OF a Sec
ton are enc thing and development
is another While we do not admire
the tone CT the South Florida edi-
torial, we can commend part of it,
for careful reading:
but the greatest reason for the in
crease in South Florida is the money
this section spends for publicity. in
telligent publicity and the effort II
L -. -. -.
and TO please and satisfy them when
they have been brought in. Imagine
all of West Florida together putting
up $4,000 for publicity and amuse-
ment for visitors in one year. as Mi
ami has done, or $4,000 like Fort
Myers is doing, or $4,000 like Tampa
will do. Lake county and Orlando
and Daytona, and Palm Beach, and
ST. Petersburg will all spend thou
sands of dollars this fall and early |
winter to attract people to their re-