476 DOCUMENTARY HISTORY OF THE FLORIDA CANAL

 in my mind at least, about a large majority of the people of Florida being in
 favor of the canal, and that more than 45 counties of Florida are overwhelm-
 ingly for the canal I am satisfied a majority are not opposed to the canal.
 Let me remind you that in 1915 and following years I was up against the
 same eight and opposition when I advocated the deepening of the harbor of
 Miami to 15 feet, then to 20 feet, then to 25 feet, and then to 30 feet On that
 project we had some opposition, not only in Florida but also in the press, but
 this is no news to you, for you know improvement of water transportation
 always has to overcome that opposition. At the very beginning they raised the
 question that it would ruin the fresh water of Florida by making the water
 salty. The people of the canal district had that before them when they voted
 for the bonds.
 My home is within a quarter of a mile of the canal The groves in Marion
 County are adjacent to the canal. The people of this district have the orange
 groves, and they are not alarmed about our waters being ruined or the salt-
 water proposition.
 RBA8ON8 M OPPOSITION TO OANAL
 While I will not question the motives of my friends who have been so loyal
 to me during my political life, yet it seems to me it is passing strange that
 from 305 miles south should come the cry that if you give us the canal Florida
 will be made a desert, and our fresh water will all be made salty.
 In December 1983 I received from the board of directors of the Florida Citrus
 Growers' Clearing House Association of Fort Myers a petition protesting against
 the canal. The first point of that petition was that such a canal would imme-
 diately open the door for a short-haul water movement from Texas of Texas
 grapefruit, under refrigeration, to the eastern markets, and intimating that we
 are endeavoring to build up Texas and hurt Florida. They also cite the fact
 that it will also hurt the waters of Florida.
 At that time I was Congressman from the State at large, a position which
 I still hold. On January 8, 1984, I wrote those good people-and I will read
 you the letter-showing clearly that I did not fear any injury to the water of
 the State; that I thought the canal was economically sound, and that it would
 be for the benefit of all Florida.
 The letter is as follows:
 JANUARY 10, 194.
 Miss JANxT ArSTrONeO,
 Assistant Secretary, Florid Citrus Groweres
 Clearing Houe Association, Winter Haven, Pla.
 Mr Danu Mise ArMSTrONG: Further reference is made to your letter of
 December 30.
 It is almost impossible to keep up with my mail On January 8 I wrote you,
 and in our haste in getting out yours and about 100 other letters written during
 the day, my secretary overlooked a page of my dictation to you.
 I am writing you again because my letter of January 8, as mailed to you,
 might cause you to reach the conclusion I was evasive. We have just located
 the notes which were overlooked, and I have asked that they be incorporated
 in this letter.
 Paragraph 5 of the minutes of the director's meeting of December reads as
 follows:
 No. 5: "The construction of such a canal would for a period of years prob-
 ably make much more difficult the problem of retaining reliable agricultural
 labor for work on the groves and farms."
 I have always contended-and this is without criticism of any work going on
 in Florida or in any of the other States-that work done on worth-while per-
 manent projects will be money well spent and not wasted; and the laborers on
 the canal, if properly supervised, will only take away all surplus labor and will
 not interfere with groves.
 No. 7: "The cost of bridges across said canal to the State of Florida and to
 the various counties which would be affected would be enormous."
 Of course, you know the bridges will be paid for by the Government and will
 not cost the State or counties anything.
 No. 8: "The effect upon the subterranean water sources and springs of the
 State would probably be most injurious and destructive."
 I have conferred with many of the best engineering minds of the country,
who have made soundings and a complete survey, and they assure me that the
water sources would not be injured in the least