The Punta Gorda herald. [volume] (Punta Gorda, Fla.) 1893-1958, 1920-02-05

ty IT Is the same wonderful story of
progress-new buildings, new de-
Velopments on every hand. The
sand hills" which few years ago
were considered of little value except
10 hold the earth together" are
now being transformed into beauti-
tul orange groves as if by the touch
or magic hand. Land values have
run up from IS to 500 per acre
almost between visits of the tax as
SCISSOR. The taxable resources of
the sand hill section are quite suffi.
clent to take care of a county govern
ment. These people are also isolated
from the present county seat and
from every standpoint of right and
justice should be allowed to cut loose,
WAUCHULA
Under the division plan outlined
above Wauchula's county would
probably contain the LARGEST popula-
ton. Wauchula is the center of n
great fruit and vegetable industry.
Few new counties have been launch
ed with as fine prospect as this pro-
posed new county would have. The
people of the Wauchula section feel
the need Of a county government in
closer relationship with their inter
ests and more in sympathy with their
own educational, commercial and
industrial aims and ambitions.
PUNTA GORDA
What has been said of other pro-
posed new counties may be applied
in a general way to Punta Gorda To-
cality. Development in this section
Is less prOnOunced-in fact. may be
considered at a standstilI-bue the
people hope for much under the new
regime of county division. when
land owners may be made secure in
their property rights and the vast
acreage of wild lands can be fenced
with safety and converted into mod
ern stock farms. Punta Gorda wants
a county seat regardless of cost or
consequences. Her people look to
county division as their only hope
for future prosperity and develop
ment, and whether they are right or
wrong, the demoralizing effect Is
just the same. Let them have it
and may the Lord have mercy on
their souls.
ARCADIA
We come now to consider the in
terests of the Arcadia section. which
is always of paramount importance
to the Enterprise. In doing so let
us not stick our heads in the sand.
like the ostrich, and refuse to recog-
nize conditions as they exist. Let
us face the facts like men and take
our medicine" regardless of the
taste it leaves in our mouths. ST
County division would reconcile
contending elements throughout this
county and put an end to the nasty
county division fights at home and
at the state capital
County division would also give /
South Florida increased representa-
ion in the Legislature-an advan-
age not to be sCorned when we think |
Of the outrageous inequality Of rep
between this and other |
sections of the state.
From every point of view it ap-
pears to us that Arcadia has lots to
gain and little to lose by division. |
But granting that there will be no
advantage in it TO her, there are
lines when men who think squarely
ind act as they think, must sacrifice
personal advantage in order to be
light. No fairminded man in Ar
.adia will insist that the people of
he four corners of this county
should be compelled to make long
to the court house here,
when each of these sections are able
o maintain county government.
There are very few people in this
county who will not agree that the
ime has come for county division.
rhe question is, How will it be
lone?
Any other plan than a four-coun-
y division will fail. Besides, it is
he only practical way of permanent
y settling the question. Let us set
lie it all at one time and for all
ime. so that in future we may send
representatives. to the Legislature TO
make laws for the general good, in
tead of to prostitute their voice and
ote for help in county division
Ights.--ANDREW CARTER in Ar
ada Enterprise.