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I wish I could find the words to express the pleasure
which we members of the Legislature experience in enjoying
your hospitality here in Jacksonville. we are having, and
looking forward to, the time of our lives: It is not often
that anyone can unqualifiedly represent the feelings of all
members of either branch of the Legislature, but I know that
I tread on solid ground in saying that all of us who break
bread with you this evening are profoundly grateful for your
open-handed and open-hearted hospitality. Many of us are
sealing friendships here that were discovered down in Tampa,
and all of us are developing here in this City of Good Will
an affection for our colleagues which will stand us in
good stead in some of the trying moments that lie ahead.
Yen are helping us build, in a very wonderful way,
instead of the mutual mistrust and suspicion which seems
to be the order of the day, at least politically, a mutual
respect and confidence in the goodwill or our fellows which
bodes well for the next session of the Legislature.
The members of the Legislature will have no excuse,
I think, if this next session is not one of the most construc-
tive for Florida in its history. we are largely agreed upon
major objectives, and differ if at all only upon the
method of achieving those objectives. There is a unanmity
of opinion upon the continued improvement of our educational
system, at all levels--upon the development of our
custodial institutions--upon the need for and in many
cases upon the direction of governmental reorganization--
upon the preservation of our currently happy financial
condition--and upon the development of our natural resources,
from tourists to waterways, which can only result in substan-
tial legislative progress.
I do not believe any of us who are members of the
Legislature deceive ourselves that our actions alone will
determine the course of empire; we know full well that despite
our failures and inadequacies Florida is destined to grow and
to become an even more wonderful place in which to live, to
make an even greater contribution to the advancement of the
nation and world of which we are a part. Yet it seems to
me not fanciful to think that we do have it in our power to
make contributions to the welfare or the people we represent
which exceed our fondest hopes; to set in motion forces for
good which will be a blessing to the people of Florida long
after we, ourselves, have passed from the scene. People will
not long remember that you and I were members of the 1953
Legislature, and it is not important that they should, but
they will long live under the laws we pass, and be the
unwitting beneficiaries of any efforts we dedicate to their
service.
It is not amiss to add that if this comes to pass, it
will not be entirely through the labors of our many capable
and dedicated leaders. Important as each or them is, try
as hard as they may, they can only provide some guidance
for the deep currents of opinion that run through all the
people. I have wonders! for some time if we have not been
in danger of forgetting the significance of the individual,
and casting our eyes about too longingly for some inspired
leader who can do the things we think should be done but
feel inadequate to attempt. The people of Germany made that
mistake; the people of Russia seem to be making that mistake.
he the world grows increasingly complex we seek to put the
problems we should solve into the hands of others eager to
solve them, but not always in our best interest.
As I read history a great many or the important
accomplishments which have made an indelible impression upon
generation after generation have been the accomplishments of
ordinary, every-day people--the kind you can run into on any
Main Street or side street in Florida.
Back between 1700 and 1710 an event occurred which has
a great deal to do with the situation in which you and I
find ourselves this evening. There was a World War in
progress. The League of Augsburg was making war upon the
upon the great French nation; the Duke of Marlborough won
his epochal victory at Blenheim; England captured
Gibraltar, never to release it. I know that those great
events were on every tongue, that the leaders 1hr the
victors were enshrined in every heart, that trumpets and
heralds spread the wonderful news.
But the important fact, for you and me, was that in a
small cottage in an insignificant village in England a mother
knelt with her child in his nursery. No one noted what she
did in that day, but from her dedicated performance of her
everyday task came the life of Joyn Wesley. Everyone here
knows of the influence of his life, but I would be surprised
if three people here would tell me what difference it would
have made had the Duke of Marlborough been defeated at
Blenheim.
Back between 1820 and 1825 a great controversy was
raging in the United States as to the admission into the
union or the great new areas to the West. You will recall
that the great issue was whether or not those new states
should be slave or free. The greatest minds in the nation
tackled that problem, and came up with the answer which
we know as the "Missouri Compromise." We know now, 125 years
later, that the Missouri Compromise did not solve the
problem at all, and that the truly important fact of that
five year period was that an ignorant country boy lay by his
flickering fireside, reading such books as he could obtain.
The great Missouri Compromise gathered dust in the
archives in Washington, while the country boy, performing his
simple tasks andgrasping his opportunities as best he knew
how, went on to solve the insoluble.
In 185% the Kansas-Nebraska Act repealed the Missouri
Compromise. The name of the great Stephen A. Douglas,
peerless orator, powerful and famous statesman, was on every
tongue. The West, at last, was truly opened to settlement.
The year before New Yerk and Chicago had been Joined by rail,
and now there was nothing to stop the empire builders short
of the Pacific.
And in that same year a 7-year old boy who had been to
school 3 months was kicked out as too dumb to learn. The
boy's father agreed with the teacher. I can't imagine what
life would be like today if his mother had agreed too. But
she didn't agree, and she took up her added burden and
carried it as best she could, tothe end that the dumb little
boy, Thomas Edison, shared his genius with the world.
I am confident that when the Legislature meets in April
of next year such headlines as there are and such news
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PAGE 1
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PAGE 2
system, at all levels--upon the development of our custodial institutions--upon the need for and in many cases upon the direction of governmental reorganization-upon the preservation of our currently lappy financial condition--and upon the development of our natural resources, from zourists to waterways, which can only result in substantial legislative progress. I do not believe any of us who are members of the Legislature deceive ourselves that our actions alone will determine the co-urse of empire; we know full well that despite our failures and inadequacies Florida is destined to gryw and to become an even more wonderful place in w-nich to live, to make ar. even greatEr ContribUtion LO the advancement of the nation and world of which we are a part. Yet it seems to me not fanciful En think that we do have it in our power to make contributions Lo the welfare of the people we represeTit which exceed our fondest hopes; to Get in mot lan forces for good which will to a blessirg to the people of Florida lor.g after wa, ourselves, have passed from the scene, Feople will riot long remember that you and -were ineinbers of the 1953 Legislature, and it is not important that ti ey should, but they will tor.g live under thlaws we pass, and be the uilwit tirk: lxansflelaries of any efforLs we dedicate to Lheir sC-PviGE,
PAGE 3
people. I have wonderer for some time if we have not in danger of forgetting the significance of the indivi and casting our eyes about too longingly for some insp leader who can do the things we think should be done b feel inadequate to attempt. The people of Jermany ned n-.1m;rske; the people of Rusula seem to be makind that vi As the world growe increasingly cymplex we seek to put proi,1ems we should solve into the aands of others eage solve them, but not always in our best interest. As I read his tory a great many of the important accomplishments which teve nade an indelible impression generation after generation nave been tree accomplished ordinary, every-day people--the kind you can rurt into 1.iaan Street or side street in Florida, imek between 1700 and 1710 en event occurred whic a great deal to do with the situation in whic a you and find ourselves thia evening. There was a World War in progress. The League of Augsburg was naking war upon
PAGE 4
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PAGE 5
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