The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1921-05-01
PRESS COMMENT
Getting Down To Facts


The long discussed removal of the
capitol Of Florida has come to a point
where actualities, not theories, arc
being considered. There seems to be
little doubt that, taking the state by
and large, an Overwhelming majority
would be in favor making some CEN
trail city the seat of state government
Representative S. S. Griffin, of
Orange has prepared and will intro
duce as joint resolution the follow
| ing suggested amendment to the state
constitutions:
! "Thd seat of government of the
state Of Florida shall be at Tallahas-
see, Leon county, until December 81
1921; that from and after that date
the seat of government of the state of
Florida shall be at the city of Orlando
| in the county OF Orange"
Presuming that the legislature will
submit to the people the amendment,
or one of similar import, the question
will be upon the removal and the loca-
/, ton. If the referendum on removal is
! adopted, then the location will be the
next question. 1t is possible, so we are
told. to frame the amendment in such a
way that at one and the same time we
may vote on removal" and the Coca
tion," there being separate place on
the ballot for inserting the name of the
candidate cities.
! Orlando and Ocala are the two
places that have been mentioned by
the people who, so far have expressed
a preference, as suitable for the loca-
ton of the state capitol Either
would make an admirable capital city.
Orlando, imbued with the spirit fof
progress and alert with the instinct Of
northern business men, and Ocala,
solid conservativeness in business
matters, a very type Of the old south
| and filled with the traditions Of Flor
ida past history.
! Ocala just above a line that might
be taken to fairly divide the state into
two about equal parts from east to
| west, and Orlando just below that line
! from the mouth of the Steinhatchee
river to Matanzas inlet. Both have
excellent railroad and highway facili-
! ties: and what Ocala has now in
excess Of railroad advantage over
Orlando is more than offset by the
advantage Orlando has in the matter
Of hard surfaced roads.
| The Tribune named Orlando as the
choice of this section because of the
I closer intercourse that city and it's
people seem to enjoy with us, and
! because its sentimental and leanings
/ have been more closely akin to those
| of the great south Florida peninsula
! The Tribune has no objection in the
world to Ocala, and would like to see
the contest for supremacy left entirely
to these two typical. representative
Florida cities. In fact The Tribune
calls on the rest of the state to take
the position 1t does in this matter
believing it to be an absolutely fair
one for all.
Let the entire state center its efforts
I now on the amendment to move the
I capitol, and let the amendment go
before the people with the under
standing that all selfish interest and
all political preferences are to be laid
aside, and the vote is to be for loca-
I ton, between the two cities nearest
the center OF the states population
center and geographical middle. all
other ambitious cities an dtowns
remaining out OF the ring and assist
ing by helping the cit yof its choice
Tampa Tribune.