The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1922-09-28
WHERE LIVES THE OLD SOUTH
Lakeland Star Telegram)

lives of those whose ancestors made !
history for US; those whose deeds of !
chivalry, whose fine sense of honor, |
whose devotion TO duty and to tradi- /
ton will last through the coming |
years.
One could use the city of Tallahas- |
see, the dear old capital of Florida, as !,
the center of the circle, the circum-
ference of which would take in Quin- |
cy and Madison and Monticello in
Florida and Thomasville in Georgia
and within these confines you would
today find preserved and even inten-
sifed, all the culture and tradition
typical of the South of the early Six
ties.
Candidly, the average resident of
South Florida knows little or nothing
of his fellow citizens who reside west
of the Suwanee river. We in this
section of the State have much to
learn and much to profit by. through
a more intimate acquaintanceship
with our neighbors. There is a reas-
on for this present condition of aloof-
ness; that reason is the lack of COM
munication. You ask: Glow about
the railroads." One attempt to trav-
ell West Florida or South Georgia by
rail will be enough to last lifetime.
Anyway you cannot see or know the
Old South through that medium; not
a chance in the world to become really
and truly acquainted. The rails do
not run in front of beautiful estates
nor do they seek out the hills and
dales with their vistas of green trees
and sparkling lakes-it is the wide,
well-surfaced sand-clay roads which
lead you hither and thither through a
country as appealing and attractive
as one could hope to find anywhere.
MISUNDERSTANDING and miscon-
ceptions are at the bottom of most of
the unpleasant things in life whether
| it be in matters of business, of poll
tics, of society. This particularly
true of the situation existing today
between the extreme sections of this
great State. When certain state
ments and accusations are made by
the people of another part, those
statements are often based upon
| lack of knowledge, of the facts as
they exist.
Admitting that the lack of famili-
arity, one section with another, is due
to inability to come into personal con-
tact, it is encouraging to note that
this barrier is rapidly being removed
The agency employed is good roads
system. The missing links between
West Florida and South Florida are
being filled in day by day and week
| by week as fast as men and money
can be secured. Within two or three
years the two sections will be united
by State highways that will make
possible that delightful and intimate
acquaintanceship which alone can pre-
serve to posterity the wonderful heri-
tage which we call Florida.
The occasion for these reflections
is a recent visit to the Old South. as
revealed in that glorious country be-
tween Thomasville, Monticello and
Tallahassee. Wide, smoth highways
run in all directions except to the
peninsular portion of Florida but this
omission is being made good by the
construction of State road No. l which
within couple of years, will be hare
, surfaced all the way from Jackson,
vile westward to Madison. That
road will open the door to Florida anc
act as a feeder to every section of the
State.
That people residing in the upper
tier of Florida counties and the coun'
ties of southern Georgia are eager tc
travel into South Florida, can best
be attested by the frequent ex
preston of the wish that there be
provided a surfaced highway dowr
the state. Those folks want to see
what we are and what we have just as
badly as we ought to want to see then
and know what fine people they are
They have a right to this and so have
we. so why raise rumpus about
building roads in Florida that will act
as a common bond of friendship anC
brotherliness.
The dav is not far distant when an
interchange of visits will be an easy
matter to accomplish-a few hours
Journey from the southern and middle
sections of Florida to the wooded hills
with their winding roads, their corn
their cattle. their livestock; to Month
cello. to Tallahassee, to Thomasvllie
where dwell as hospitable and kindly
people as the good Lord ever created
No one can truly appreciate Florida
who does not know from personal ac-
uuaintance this rich treasure-house.
COME AND SEE