Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1923-08-30
DISTRICT ROTARY
GOVERNOR TALKS
Distinguished Visitor Says Good
Roads Insure Community
Prosperity
Continued from Page L.

brick and asphalt highway between
these two points, besides shorten
ing the distance Travelled by an
proximately thirty-fve miles. Flor
ida's road system is already the
pride of the state, and | am pleas
cd to note that Georgia is moving
to have here a road system that
will likewise reflect credit upon
this state.
"As you know, the citrus indus
try is the chief source of revenue
10 Florida farmers, and this wear
we expect to market bumper
crop of this fruit. Last year in
Orange coutny alone we marketed
1.75O,00O boxes, which brought the
growers something like $4,000, 900.
and we expect to exceed this to-
tai considerably this season, as
there are new groves coming in
constantly, with others being set
out annually which provide the
added trees from which new reve-
nue. will come to the fruit growers
over a long period of future years.
"A few years ago, people thought
nothing would grow in Florida ex-
cept citrus fruits, and Floridians,
like the rest, believed the orange
and grapefruit were the only cash
crops that could be successfully
produced in the state. But all
this is changed now. The big
freeze in 1895 put a new complex
ion on the situation altogether.
Citrus farmers who believed thew
were ruined by the freeze now
realize that this was one of the
greatest blessings ever visited upon
the citrus farmers of Florida.
Following the big freeze, hun
dreds of Florida farmers turned
their attention to the production
of truck, and this now represents
the second crop in position of i'm
portance in the state. The for
tunate situation of the state as re-
CARDS climate and the early date
at which truck and porduce can be
marketed there precludes any mar
keting problem such as confronts
the Georgia farmer who would pro-
duce these same commodities. In
short there exists annually a much
greater demand for these products
than the Florida farmers have ever
been able to supply and this is ac-
counted for through early market
ing when other sections have no
green vegetables.
Most of the roads in Florida
have been and are now being laid
through the issuance of bonds, and
this has come to be recognized in
the section where | live as the ideal
method Of securing such improve
ments. The Florida legislature re-
Gently adopted constitutional
amendment which would prohibit
the levy Of any income or inheri-
lance tav within the next twenty
years, and this is to be voted upon
by the people at an early date. If
the lacAion of the legislature is
ratified, and | believe this will be
done, it means that many new resi-
dents will be attracted to Florida,
due to the levy of added and new
taXes in other states.
There is one tax that We have
IN Orlando, though, that l believe
mas been the best investment ever
made by my home community. This
is the publicity tax of 2 mills, levied
by vote of the people and which
provides approximately $4,000 an
nuaIly to advertise Orlando
throughout the world. This tax is
administered through the Chamber
OF Commerce at Orlando, and is
used in various way to promote the
growth of Orlando. Much newspa-
per space is used in connection
with this publicity campaign, as a
result of which the name of Orlan-
do is known throughout the world.
IN addition to newspaper advertis-
ing we posted five hundred road
signs throughout the East and Mid
die Western states last year that
promise to bring many tourists to
Orlando this winter, and during
the winter a concert band which
furnishes music for tourists during
the season is maintained out of this
fund. The Orlando Sunshine club,
maintained through this fund also
provides a playground for tourists
and residents where they may play
tennis, croquet and other games,
and otherwise enjoy their stay with
US. The fund, of course, is sup
plemented by funds provided
through the Orlando Chamber of
Commerce, which aas a member
ship of $50, approximately 800 new
members having been added during
recent months. The Orlando Maya
zine,' published as part of the Or
lando, is supported chiefly by the
months free to each person who
sends in an inquiry concerning Or
landot, is supported chiefly by the
advertising fund, though the maya
zine carries some legitimate adj
vertising. Five thousand dollars Is
spent annually in publishing this