The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1921-01-04
associates in Office more pronounced
Present conditions

LAOD0u6 OUuIAbAUMD
I seriously question if the present
is propitious for one to assume the
governorship of the state, if perchance
he expects to bask thereafter in popu-
lar favor. We are today in the wake
of a great world conflict which taxed
to the utmost the productive forces
of the nation. During it's continuance
and Immediately following the armis-
tice which marked its conclusion,
private business and public affairs
have been administered in keeping
with such profligacy of expenditures
as was never before known. Individ-
ual thrift and frugality have been
largely discarded, and erstwhile lux
uries are now being classed as ne
cessities. Thoughtful men have known
that such an orgy of imitation
and expenditure could not continue,
and with prophetic voice have all
along wooed the people back to safer
ground. Unfortunately we have not
listened to more conservative coun-
sells, and as result we are in the
midst of a period Of industrial de-
flation which in magnitude our coun-
try has never experienced before.
There is rapidly accumulating a vast
army of unemployed and the farms
and manufactures find difficulty in
disposing of their products. If the
peoplt of Florida forced by the stress
of circumstances need to take stock Of
themselves and learn again the lesson
forgotten during the great war, even
so must the state ''set its house in or
der" against the perils of changing
conditions. / desire to call upon the
people to exercise spirit of charity
towards us, who shall attempt to lead
during the critical period Of readjust-
ment and likewise 1 call upon them to
practice individually those wholesome
neutrality-suspicious., Industry,
economy and sober thinking.
Outlook is bright
We have no cause for gloomy FORE
boding, no reason for discomfort, II
only we are filled with conscious
ness of our inherent power, and a
realization of the matchless resources
which kind providence has bestowed
upon us. The future is big with prom
Use, and Florida may If she will, come
AutO ACl .OWAs OuAo 10 q AAolA6 ototCs
Her people are not lacking in vision,
and in natural resources she is rich:
indeed. The sturdy character of Amer
lean citizenship Is a result of the ad-
mixture Of virile elements Of varied
.nationaIities. In similar sense the
amAlgamation of those ever increas-
ing streams of population, coming to
us from every section OF this broad
land, must mean citizenship OF spir-
itual power and material achievement.
The courageous spirit of the people,
given fair opportunity and materials
with which to work, will make Flori-
da one of the greatest states Of the
Union. Do need to call your atten-
tion to the vast resources, granted
us by beneflcient Creator7 Nearly
1,5OO miles Of sea- coast, dotted here
and there by splendid harbors The
commerce Of the world finds facilities
for trade and the wealth Of the waters
of the sea belongs to us. Millions OF
acres Of splendid agricultural lands.
rich and fertile, specially adapted to
agriculture, horticulture and live
stock development. with little more
than FIVE per cent Of 1t under cuItiva-
Ion The wealth Of our timber supply