Board of Trade’s Address of Welcome 
F. P. Conroy. 
Prof. Hume: I would like to call your 
attention to one fact, before the next part 
of our program; that is, that the liveliest 
thing in all of live Jacksonville is the 
Jacksonville Board of Trade. I had an 
opportunity to see it at work and know 
something of what it is doing, and I am 
very glad to be able to introduce to you 
at this time the president of the Jackson¬ 
ville Board of Trade, Mr. F. P. Conroy. 
Mr. President and Members of the Flor¬ 
ida State Horticultural Society: 
I am very sorry indeed that the mayor 
was so busy that he could not remain with 
us tonight. You are aware of the fact 
that he is going through a very trying 
and anxious time, and could hardly spare 
even the short time that he was with us. 
It is quite an honor to be mayor of Jack¬ 
sonville, and worth working hard for. 
I have listened to what the presiding 
officer had to say when he introduced the 
president of this Board, and have about 
concluded that the best thing to do would 
be for me to resign, and suggest that we 
elect him president from now on, for he 
is an earnest and eloquent Jacksonville 
booster. And the remarks of Prof. Rolfs 
certainly indicate that he is in the same 
class. I remember seeing Prof. Rolfs 
some time ago when he was engaged in 
Horticultural work. I think I met him 
down between Miami and Cocoanut 
Grove. However, the Gainesville citizens 
who are here tonight had better not tell 
the people at home what he has been say¬ 
ing about Jacksonville; they will probably 
make it too warm for him, as he is un¬ 
questionably a Jacksonville booster. 
You know, it seems to me that an ad¬ 
dress of welcome from the Board of 
Trade is hardly necessary. You all know 
you are welcome. So I am just going to 
take advantage of the opportunity by ig¬ 
noring the subject assigned to me and tell 
you about one or two other matters that 
are near and dear to me and to the other 
members of the Jacksonville Board of 
Trade. 
Prof. Rolfs spoke about schools. That 
is something that appeals to me, and I am 
sure appeals to you. It seems particu¬ 
larly appropriate that something should 
be said now. I want to say that if there 
is any one thing that Floridians should 
work for, it is for better schools. You 
people from the rural districts who want 
to make good and useful citizens of your 
children, you are the people who ought to 
help the people of Jacksonville, and the 
State, to get direct and beneficial results 
