MAKING A HOME IN FLORIDA. 



There is a class of people that comes down to Florida merely 

 to escape from the cold and discomforts of winter. Whatever 

 there may be of beauty here does not seem to appeal to such, or 

 only in a small degree. They arrive in November or December 

 and after spending a winter or two here they buy a piece of land 

 and build. After completely clearing out all the native vegeta- 

 tion from the land they put up a cheap and nasty house of hide- 

 ous design, I say design, because their builders appear to have 

 deliberately intended to make them unattractive. The final 

 touch is perhaps added to the pile in the shape of a paper roof. 

 Almost any kind of a shelter seems to be good enough, though 

 probably their owners are abundantly able to build decently, 

 and in this they remain until March or April and then flit north, 

 leaving the place to look out for itself, to grow up with the vilest 

 weeds which spread their seeds over the land of those who remain 

 here. 



I am not attempting to cast any slur on the tourist or winter 

 resident in general. There are thousands of such who are 

 charmed with the beauty of Florida, who fully appreciate its 

 splendid climate and who are ready to join in any move to up- 

 build it and advance its interests. Neither am I wishing to 

 say anything disrespectful about those who haven't the means 

 to build expensive places. It is easily possible at a cost of seventy- 

 five or a hundred dollars to construct of rough boards a house 

 that will be attractive, and to surround it in a short time with 

 inexpensive trees and plants in such a way that the whole will 

 be a veritable bit of paradise. I am simply berating in my 

 gentle way the man or woman who merely comes here for phys- 

 ical comfort, who cares nothing for the welfare of the state or 

 its people, whose eyes are blind to beauty, whose ears are deaf 

 to progress and the general welfare. 



There are many thousands in the states to the north of us 

 who are honest, willing to learn, energetic, who come here and 

 are ready to help on with the glorious work of making Florida 



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