The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1920-02-06

tries and giving them access to the water
front, that the established roads enjoy.
Third: That they promote the industry and
trade OF the city itself.
Fourth: That they pay putting by sur
plus after paying expenses. interest, upkeep,
and betterment charges.
These are facts from the experience OF
sister city. With a much larger trade, 1t is
true, but also with correspondingy larger
investment and with hndrances and expenses
from which would be free.
1t would seem that we can profitably follow
their example.
c. E. DoBsON
In that same issue Of The Journal there appeared
La news story in which letter to Jacksonville peo-
pie from Senator Duncan L Fletcher, calls atten-
ton to the benefits to be derived from municipality
owned terminals. In parts, this article says:
United States Senator Duncan L. Fletcher has
written the editor Of the Jacksonville Metropolis adj
vocating the passage Of the municipal terminal bond
issue. IN this communication, Senator FIetchef
called attention to the increasing Importance OF all
Gulf and Southern ports, in relation to South ana
Central American trade. In commenting on TINS
trade he says Whether, when it once begins to
move along one or more channels or many it can
later be diverted is another question"
At the meeting held by representatives Of the
Missippi Valley last week in Washington, the decia-
ton made that the trade discrimination to
which New York and allied interests have subjected
this country in the past. must and viii be lifted
Fifythree per cent Of the voting population OF the
United States has combined to break that embargo.
These men represent the great Mississippi Valley,
they are men with large interests in industries and
manufactures the products from which are shipped
to the nations Of the earth. These men realize that
they can do business more economically with South
and Central America and with the Orient, through
the Panama canal. by shipping VIC Southern ports
that tho in
New York, and certain railroads. have had, and
which 1rottled the trade Of the South. has been
broken.
But AT THIS MEETING IT WAS STATED THAT
THE BUSINESS WOULD BE SHIPPED THROUGH
THOSE PORTS WHICH HAD THE FACILITIES?
Has Pensacola these facilities? It has not
It has facilities enough for the Louisville and
Nashville.
II has facilities enough for the Pensacola Gulf and
Northern
It has facilities enough for pr vate interests.
But it has not such facilities as will induce the
large volume Of trade to come to Pensacola. for
which this port is reaching out.
New Orleans has that trade today Mobile has
much OF it. Pensacola would have had mu:h o. t,
had the warning sounded by the late Frank t. Naycs
and other men OF his calibre been needed
New Orleans has gone forward within the last
eight years, until its story .eads like business 70
mance-and it has gone forward WITH INTERESTS
interests which have retarded it.
Pensacola has gone forward during the past five
years, IN SPITE OF INTERESTS WHICH HAVE RE-
TARDED PROGRESS What that progress might
have been, under different conditions cannot be es
tnated
But the past is dead It is useless to cry out re-
ordinations and to remind one another of what
might have been What we need today is to act. To
take warning from the past. To take hope in the
splendid constructive cooperative spirit generated
here and which has been able to overcome few OBJ
structionists.
Pensacola today leads any port in Florida with the
exception Of Key West in exports. And we brag
about it. But there time when Pensacola led
the South. Pensacola was the first port to make
lumber shipments to other countries. There was a
day when the bay filled with foreign vessels
loading and unloading here. the year round
mat day will return to US, if force it-but not
unless we do. The boast that cargoes shipped
through this port make Of the most direct routes
to the Panama-canal is true. But it does not get US
anywhere unless we get the trade. And we will
not get the trade as long this port is throttled
Talk about the condition Of the cftys finances is
IDLE at this time. What has that to do with the
SAFE OF the bonds? Those bonds have already been
voted II we need more, let put it up to the PEG
pie and vote more and place those bonds on the
market for sale. We need those docks and we need
other public improvements such as good roads IT
is idle to say that not able to pay for them
We are.
One argument which has been brought against the
s'e O. the bonds is that the shipbuildng plant has
recently discharged number of employees. But the
shpbuildng plant is more stable today than it has
ever Been 1t is natural to suppose that the plant
"Ach has already completed tyo-thirds of its gov |
eminent contract does not need the same number Of
employees.
one million dollars has just been put into the
plaht and that means that it is here for good Now
VIVA tive want to do is 20 ge busy with out n11hlc