The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1926-06-22


length about the principles upon
which this republic was founded
and recounting the growth, de.
velopment, prosperity, and wealth
of the United States, said:
81 have recited the foregoing
for the purpose of demonstrating
to you that the extraordinary and
amazing growth, development, and
prosperity of this wonderful ma
tion has not been because of its
climate, it's soil, or its natural re.
sources, but because of its Con
stitution and it's form Of govern.
ment under which life, liberty, and
happiness are more amply secured
and property more fully protected
than under any other form OF
government ever devised by man
and | now want to apply this
thought to Florida.
81 could prepare an address that
could be delivered in any one OF
dozens of states of this Union, ap.
plying that address to the parti
cular state in which it was deliver.
ed. ii would run about this way
This is a wonderful and mar,
velous state. Its climate is won.
derful; its soil most fertile; its
natural resources unequaIled; it,
future very marvellous. If all OF
the soil of this state that is capable
of production were cultivated anC
its natural resources developed
the state could easily quadruple its
population, etc, ETC.
"I'hat talk could be delivered
everywhere.
"But there is a talk that car
be made about Florida and only
about Florida; and that is it:
Florida is the most conserva-
tive state in the nation. 1t has an
entire absence of radical legisla
tion. And its gro VT h.
and marvellous prosperity, parti
enlariy for the last few years. is
due not so much to its matchless
climate, its Incompatible soil, anc
It's wonderful natural advantages
but to the fact that it is the most
conservative state of this nation
that it has no radical legislation
While the remainder of the states
If the Union have for the past
quarter Of a century been endeav-
oring by legislation to make water
run uphill end have been en-
dcavoring by legislation to create
condition whereby the fool car
compete with the smart man, have
been endeavoring by legislation te
make the unnatural natural, Flor,
ida has been sitting steady in the
boat, believing in the law of the
survival of the fittest, believing
such was the law in Biblical times
is now, and always will be, anc
believing that you could not by
man-made laws superscde God
e1ade laws, And so while the re,
mainder of the states have beer
busy tomahawking. knitting, butch
ering, penalizing, and harassine
business. Florida has been inviting
capital into this state and protect
ing it after it has been invested
While the remainder of the states
fave been busy creating bureaus
commissions. and increasing tax
os, Florida is today administerin:
ts state affairs in the same simpl,
manner that it did a quarter Of ;
century ago. II has a governor
and his cabinet. the supreme court
railroad commission, stat
highway commission, and a state
health board nothing else. Ant
so economically and splendidll
have the affairs Of our state beer
administered as that, although w'
have more paved highways anC
more public improvements thar
any state in the Union per capita
Florida does not owe dollar. hai
no state bonded indebtedness ot
any kind or character, and had II
the state treasury last evening six
teen million dollars in cash. This
only method of raising revenue FOL
state purposes in Florida is by NJ
/ occupational tax. a gasoline tax
an al valov n tax on real an,
! norsonal property: and. although
all The property of the state i
worth approximately six billion
of dollars. il is assessed rail
roads. public utilities. real an,
personal property. everything
at only the insignificant sum o.
six hundred and twenty million d
6oilars. onlv about ten per cent o.
ia value. 50 il can easily be seer
tts