The Pensacola journal., 1920-02-08
THE SAME PEOPLE AND THE SAME SPIRIT.

world that it would fight for its rights against
combination of state interests determined to wrest
the centennial from West Florida, through -FOUR
unit fair.
That fact was evidenced at the meeting OF the
centennial committee Thursday evening When q
meeting was held and resolutions were passed
memorializing congress for a six million dollar ap-
propration predicated three million dollar
appropriation from Pensacola, West Florida, and
the state at large.
The plan of the committee. outlined at the
meeting of Thursday ngiht is to send committee
Of five Pensacoans to Washington. to place De-
fore congress West Floridas claim to great
centennial celebration, to be held in Pensacola IN
1922 it is purposed by the centennial committee to
place before the appropriations committee data of
an historical nature, well concrete program
of what Pensacola and Florida may be expected to
do in the event that Congress will make the ap-
preparation asked for, which will be granted, of
course with the provision that. unless Pensacola
and Florida do their part. the appropriation will be
cancelled.
1t is the opinion of men interested in the
tennal movement here, and who have studied the
history of international celebrations held in other
parts of the United States that if strong fight is
put up congress cannot fail to cooperate with this
city and section in putting over this celebration
Congress has never failed to meet any city half way,
which has gone out in earnest such celebration.
These the facts in the case. on which the CEN
tennial committee predicates its success.
Pensacola has already been authorized to sell
S5ooYO00 worth of bonds for centennial purposes !;
plans going forward for the formation of stock
company, capitalized at million dollars, stock
to sbe sold in Pensacola and throughout West
Florida In addition to this the 100000 bonds for
the municipal docks and belt line road may logic
ally be included in this centennial budget, it will
be impossible to hold such a centennial is con-
|
charge of cargoes from the countries making
hibits here and for the volume Of business attract
ed here from the Mississippi Valley and the west.
Besides this. it is believed that when the legsla-
ture meets in 1921, West Florida representatives
will have difficulty in getting appropriation of
one million dollars to be used in Pensacola for
centennial purposes This belief is based upon the
fact that West Florida has asked little in the
past and received little; while this section of the
state has voted for appropriations other sections
of Florida. which of greater importance to
the state as a whole
1t pointed out at the meeting of the centen-
nial committee Thursday evening, that not only
will this state be willing to aid in putting over
the centennial celebration, provided federal aid can
be secured. but that Alabama. and even Mississippi
and Georgia, might logically be interested.
Attention was also called to the fact that any
international celebration to be success, must in
terest not only its state but the other states
of the union. and that if each state could be in
duced to put up its own building, ha sheen the
custom at all international celebrations half of the
problem would be solved
The fair held at Portland was cited as an instance
of one fair. which. while not on so large scale,
interested other states in this way.
The celebration of the centennial of the Purchase
OF Florida from the Spanish government and the
setting up Of government at Pensacola hinges now
on federal aid. That is the key to the situation
ha
That the state looks upon the centennial as won
derful opportunity for the advancement of what
ever city undertakes it was evidenced bv the
strong fight put up by the rest of the state to kill
the centennial movement in Pensacola They only
succeeded in killing the commission, in the forma-
ton of which. the Pensacola centennial committee
had hand, and left us where we were before
the logical site for the celebration.
| The centennial committee has made good fight
1t has been backed in this fight by the people Of
| Pensacola and West Florida. Organization after
organization in this city, and throughout this sec
ton, has passed resolutions advocating the hold
ing Of the centennial. and giving assurance of their
faith that such celebration could be pulled off here
with honor to the city. the state and the south
Now we have got to eat those words or we have
got to make them come true.
| During ell the months of the fight for the
centennial designation for Pensacola there was not
| one man with the hardihood to come out in
| the open and declare in public speech or
public print his antagonism to the centen-
nial. In all the months OF the centennial
fight there was not one organization that passed
resolutions condemnng criticising the move
ment; but organization after organization lined up
solidy back Of the centennial committee.
| When the Centennial Specials were sent over to
Tallahassee and to Jacksonville hundreds of persons
went to those cities to demonstrate their faith in
this city and section This spirit became a marvel