Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-01-29
BOOSTING IS real.
SCIENCE IN CITIES
Of SUNNY FLORIDA
BY ROBERT L. SMALL
sed Wire Service to The Journal
1En,r,,r Il rrht nO1

Copyright, 1924
MIAMI, Fla, Jan. 26.-Southern
Florida, with it's network OF amaz-
ing cities and home communities, is
living monument to the efficacy
Of publicity.
The great game of boosting" is
common to nearly every American
municipality. Even austere and
domineering New York recently has
fallen for the custom, and resorted
to real old down home Main street
methods to win the Democratic con-
vention. 1t is frankly admitted in
the metropolis that New Workers
wanted the convention in order to
show a lot of the supposedly de-
spired chicks" from the country
what a real town" New York is,
and how hospitable it's supposedly
cold and bloodless people can be.
Down here, they have reduced the
boosting art to a science, not only a
science but continuing business.
In all the Wailing and gnashing of
teeth. which has been going up the
country over on the subject of taxa
ton, not a murmur has been heard
from the property holders of Miami,
who, in addition to all their other
federal, state and county assess
ments, pay annually a city publicity
tax. This year the publicity tax will
yield more than 100000, and every
cent OF it will be spent in advertis-
ing Miami and entertaining the win
ter visitors to this locality.
Other Florida communities are
following the example of Miami in
many of her publicity methods and
licity tax on the residents. 1t is
felt here now that Miami is suf
ficiently well known to attract tour
lists and winter home-seekers, so an
effort is to be made to prolong the
season The most fashionable
folk. it seems, think it would be
absolutely "dowdy" to come to FIori-
da much before the middle of Janu-
airy, and along toward the end of
February they begin Winging their
way north again, generally by easy
stages. Florida wants the "strang-
ers" to come in December, and re-
main until April at least. The
Floridians would like to keep the
strangers all year long, and appar-
emily are keeping more and more
of them every year.
An insight into the way a grow
| ing city and winter resort carries
on its publicity May be had from a
report made by the Miami Chamber
of Commerce. The budget for eX-
pending the city publicity tax fund
includes an item of $35, 900 for Pry-
or's band, to play twice daily in the
| public park. The sum of $4,000 is
| set aside for advertising in news
| papers and magazines.
In addition to the 100000 pro,
vided for taxes, the chamber of com.
merce is spending $4,000 this win.
| ter on entertainment of visitors, an
outdoor sports bureau, pageants, air
| meets, flower shows, etc.
Countless millions of dollars are
| being poured into Florida every
| year by northern and western visi
| tors, and by northern and western
capitalists. The latter money is be
ing spent in industry, in property
development and IN more advertis
| ing. Advertising has shown its val
ue down here in a thousand ways.
More and more northern people are
coming into the state to live and
eventually this influx is going to
have an effect upon the politics OF
Florida. OF course, the '"crackers'
! still outnumber the new residents
| by d large ratio, but the wishes and
the views of the newcomers are be.
| ing considered more and more, and
it would not be surprising to see
Florida in a few years real politi-
| cal battle ground.