The Punta Gorda herald. [volume] (Punta Gorda, Fla.) 1893-1958, 1920-09-23
FLORIDIANS WAKING UP.
At Last. Natives. Are. Seeing. and
Selling Opportunities.

. tunity that are to be found all abou
4 us, everywhere, if we only will searcl
for them and having found them turf
them to profitable account. To toe
many people the tabled pot of colo
at the end of the rainbow" is so en-
trancingly attractive that they look
: over and see not the gold that actu.
ally lies within their grasp. Fol
diamonds they look to far-off fields
in Africa, failing to see diamonds,
In point of value, that are within
their reach if they will but stretch
out their hands and lay hold of what
they may and to their inculcula BILE
advantage.
All of which Is true of Florida op-
portunities as of those elsewhere,
but more true with reference to Flor
ida because of the amazing riches in
the soil, the earth, in the sunshine
and in the plants and flowers that
are here so exceptionally favored by
natural conditions.
Florida has been inhabited by the
dominant race for many, many years.
] avn nave IOI SUITES anu
scores of years resided within the
state, have done well, comparatively,
and prospered to a degree But they
have not, generally speaking, seen
and taken advantage of the "acres of
diamonds" lying all about them.
Others from afar have come in, have
seen and have grasped the opportun-
tiles that those we may designate as
home people have overlooked, or, at
least, have not accepted. And we
want and we welcome these people |
who come here, and who are coming |
here now in increasing numbers. |
many from far distant states and |
countries, with their money and their :
energy helping to develop the won
derfully abundant natural resources
of Florida. They are finding the
real gold pots of Florida.
Recently we have noted a growing
realization, on the part of home peo-
pie of Florida, to the fact of wonder
full opportunities, of "acres of dia-
that exist in this great
grand commonwealth They are
taking up home opportunities as
never before. 1t is a present fact
that is most gratifying.
\ day or two ago the news columns
Of the Times-Union carried a dis
patch, from Orlando, telling of the or 3
sanitation there of a company, com .
posed almost exclusively of home peo-
no no oh 4,
Of mot less than $5,000,000," so the
Information goes, in the purchase of
200 acres of Orange county land
md developing it into a great citrus
ruit growing enterprise. From the
orlando Morning Sentinel we get the
additional information that up to the
irst of September thirty business
men of Orlando have associated
themselves together for the purpose .
If planting and developing these A.
100 acres of choice land" That -,
newspaper gives the names of thirty
TX individuals and firms that, up to
he first of the month, had subscribed
or the company's stock. OF this
lumber only nine Investors reside in
states other than Florida. Conclu-
iyely and empiatically does this t,
prove that Florida people are taking il
ip home opportunities, opportunities u u
hat heretofore have been permitted "
o be grasped by those of distant 81
places. Again we say, that this &C S
eptance of Florida opportunities by
hose not of and in Florida is sincere a
y appreciated. But it is all the X
more gratifying to know that home r
eople are awakening to opportuni-
les that they either have not seen
r that they have permitted to slip
way from them. 1t looks as though 70
he days of neglect were past, a. if 'S
he knocking of Opportunity on the
oors of Florida people is being
card.
True, there are any number of !:
ONE opportunities that have been :.
aized by home people. But the in !.
tances have been too rare. Over in :.
lat rich trucking section, on the !
hores Of Lake Apopka, the writer !.
as told within year that the decen- !.
ants of families, that had resided !.
acre for generations, were buying Z
nd improving more land than ever Z.
efore. Down in Polk county, where (
len of vision and possessors of :.
'ealth have been developing the rich :
eposits of phosphate, he was told !:
My recently of the formation of a I:
ompany of home people who pro- J.
ose to get into the phophate mining :;
usinesS themselves, seeing that ]:
theirs are making millions OF dol !:
2rs out of that one product with !:
hitch thousands of Polk county acres /:
re underlaid. Other recent instan- !:
es of like character might be cited. !:
In conclusion, let us say that the !:
Orward-looking people of Florida ::
re, as never before, taking hold of !:
,Ome- opportunities. Rapid and :
.mazing as has been the develop ::
nent and progress Of Florida in re- !:
,ent years still more wonderful and ::
atisfying will be the advancement of !:
he years Immediately at hand, with =:
he progressive forces of home peo- !:
lie, combining their money and their ::