The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1921-11-19
EAlrH AND WORKS


land the fair manager will return home
with the silver cup.
This is the second time that the low
ling cup has been won by Escambia
county over all competitors, which
means that Escambia county leads the
entire state Of Florida agriculturally.
I This county, for long considered the
most backward in the state, is now
leading all Florida state that is
rapidly taking its place as one of the
Il great producing centres of the world.
For many years it was said that
Il Pensacola had no back country That
all this city and territory had to de-
pend upon was it's lumber and naval
stores and that when these were ex-
hausted, there would be nothing left
to fall back upon.
I 1t will be many years before Escam-
bia exhausts its timber and timber
products. but when that day comes it
lis safe to predict that E.scambia coun-
lily will be one of the greatest farm
ling and stock centers of the country
II 1t has taken men of vision to look
ahead and see these results, just as
lit took men of vision down in south
and central Florida to turn their piney
woods land into great citrus groves
worth millions of dollars annually, and
/ to drain their swamp lands until to-
day they are forming one of the great
truck producing sections Of the world.
Such men are L. w. Hardy, presi-
dent of the Escambia county fair. and
J. Lee Smith, fair manager and Es-
Gambia county agricultural agent.
For four years Mr.. Hardy has been
fighting steadily and pluckily to place
lEscambia in the forefront, as an ag-
ricultural county, and since coming
to Escambia as its agent, Mr.. Smith
has been working with equal SINGLE
Imindedness and vigor.
The results give to them higher
commentator than any words could
give.
= Following the county fair, Manager
Smith stated that while he was proud
of its success, and felt that many
farmers and business men deserved
unstinted credit. he believed that the
people Of this county had not yet been
''sold" to the value of the county fair
( 1t is safe to say that if that was true
it cannot be said today. Mr. Smith,
by going over to Jacksonville. single
handed and carrying off the silver
cup has put over the fact that he
wants to impress on the people in a
way that drives it home as nothing
else could have done
After all, we are measured by what
we do and not what it is possible for
us to do. Everyone interested in the
fair felt that it was possible for Es-
lcambia county. to win the first prem
ium and the silver cup at the fair, but
with so many competitors, many of
whom had spent many times the
amount on the exhibits that Escam-
bia county spent, it seemed a gigantic
task
: The triumph brings with It a big
Ilesson-and that lesson is faith-faith
in our county and each other; faith
in what we have; faith so strong
that we can sell our big idea not only
to others, but to ourselves-for after
all, it is here in Escambia that we
have TO put over the idea of Escam-
bia as the coming agricultural and
stock-raising county of the south.
Men Of vision have seen this for
years and have preached it and
through their faith and works, have
proved it.
But what we have accomplished is
only the beginning-the big results
win come when Escambia county
realizing its own worth, boasts the
best and most productive farm lands.
the best roads. the finest harbor, the
! most progressive city, and the most
cooperative farmers and business men
in this country Then and only then
will we really come into our own, and
will have sold" our own big idea to
ourselves. Having done that. it win
sell itself to others outside the coun-
ty, and capital will seek this section.
as It has sought other sections of
Florida, and being fully developed, we
shall be truly known as the banner
lcounty Of Florida.