The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1921-02-18
AS Others See 1t
FLORIDA IN THE SPOTLIGHT


Grover Cleveland helped to give reputation 70
Buzzards Bay Roosevelt to the Louisiana cane
brakes Wilson to the Jersey coast and New
Hampshire hills Ii Florida waited long enough,
a president was sure to be chosen from the null
titude Of northerners who have learned to adj
mire her winter resorts. The peninsula fame
has been growing ever since Mrs Stowe and John
Muir visited and advertised it just after the Civil
war. In the eighties came the amazing develop
ment of rail lines, from ,hardly 500 miles to more
than $500. This made it possible for New York
ers and Philadephians to reach any part of the
state in little over day. Before the famous
FIager railway was laid over the TO Key
West the automobile had materially stimulated
tourist travel California is rival but one handi
capped by distance. Florida takes Mr.. Harding's
trip its due.
Florida may not have anything else" said one
visitor but il has lots of sand and climate" In
Miami or Petersburg this speech would provoke
the retort that it has area than any other
state except one east of the Mississippi; more
seacoast than any other in the country; more in,
terest to biologists than@any other part of the
continent Reporters with Mr.. Harding have not
mentioned It's wealth of history. The president
elect has Just abandoned the Victoria at New
Smyrna the oldest settlement south of ST Angus
can smile at Plymouhs claims to age. The Vie
toria's haven was Mosquito Bay, and Mosquito
Bay was famous landing place of blockade run
ners in the Civil war. At Cotton Shed Hammock
Mr.. Harding doubtless the place where cot
ton was piled ready for them. Little has been
said in the teegraphed news about scenery, and
most people reading of Indian River think of the
! presdent-eect voyaging up some stream into the
/ interior 1t is not a river at all. but saltwater
sound of $40 miles protected from the Atlantic by
long, narrow .islets. This straight silver streak,
with its bathing fishing, and hunting, and the
variety of outlook offered by pine woods, orange
groves, pineapple plantations, and hardwood
! hammocks. the resort OF houseboaters long
before Mr.. Harding began his visit to Florida
Cockneys in cities like New York obtain from
picture supplements and fashion notes the i'm
pressiOn~ that Florida offers only magnificent
hotels at st. Augustine, roads for millionaire
speeders at Daytona and Ormond and resort
for the ultra-exclusive at Palm Beach. Yachts do
seek the Florida coast, but pebean launches and
households a thousand times more common
For one visitor who pays for service at the Poin
ciana Alcazar. crowds seek modest cottages
aud boarding houses. The automobile, stimulate
ing winter travel to the south, has actually helped
keep it democratic. Farmers and mechanics
bring their falimies in cars. as bankers and man
ufacturers do. The motorists associations that
are springing up are ostentatiously humble. Thus
the most vigorous, which is providing stopping
places for travellers and publishes a magazine
calls itself the Order OF Tin Can Tourists Oul
nation has plenty of summer resorts and winter
resorts open to rich man and man of small means
the first citizen and the plain citizen.