The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1914-02-19
TELL THE TRUTH
Chance for the ZoIfo Springs Paper
to Make Good Its Name
Washington Feb. 10th

Washington, Feb 10th, 1914. |
Editor Truth, Zolfo, Fla:
Dear Sir: Published in Dixie of |
the 14th,e is an article headed |
Fletcher and the Workingman,"
(by G. w Adams in Zolfo TRUTH in
which this appears:
When such an important bill as
the one providing for investigation
of conditions affecting child labor,
ETC., was introduced, it occurs to us
that if Senator Fletcher had been
such a genuine friend of the labor
ing man, he would have at once be-
come active in behalf of the measure.
A measure Of that character should
have received his hearty endorsement
and support. But did it get it? No.
The records show that Senator
Fletcher was present. but not vot-
ing BY this it would seem that he
was at least not for the measure, and
he that is not for US is against US.
Mr.. Fletcher was supposed to be
looking after the welfare of the
children as we'll as the grown-ups,
but it seems that in this case he was
not deeply interested enough to even
vote for or against the measure
In the same article is the state
ment: I'VE stand ever ready to cor
rect a wrong"
Assuming you meant the last
statement in good faith, | desire to
say the first quotation does not state
facts, as the Congressional Record
| will show, and does me an injustice
and a wrong"
am getting somewhat used to
that, however, and it will be impos-
sible, at the rate they are appearing,
to keep up with all the misrepresen-
tations about me that are being put
| forth, / desire to ask you to right
this one.
The Record shows that | was in
| Florida attending the celebration of
the completion Of the over Sea
Railroad" at Key West, in which the
government participated, at the
| time the Senate voted on. the bill to
establish a Children's Bureau in the
department of commerce and labor
January 81, 1912. When the vote
was taken Senator Clapp of Mime
sofa, with whom | had general pair,
made this announcement in the Sen
ate. See Congressional Record, 62nd
session, p. 1873:
| Il again announce my pair with
the Senior Senator from Florida,
(Mr. Fletcher who is unavoidably
detained from the chamber on the
business of the Senate"
/ left Washington with the delega-
ton to the Key West celebration on
January 18th, 1912. The celebration
extended from January 22nd to Feb
ruary End, 1912, and was participant
ed in officially by the government in
accordance with concurrent resolu-
ton adopted by Congress.
| went from Key West to Tampa
and ST. Petersburg with members of
the Rivers and Harbors Committee
of the House for the purpose of as
sisting in presenting the claims of
Tampa and st. Petersburg for Har-
Dor improvements.
1t is, therefore, not true that I
was present" It is not true that
II was present but not voting
My vote was accounted for by my
pair.
| cannot understand why matters
which the Record discloses should
be stated incorrectly and published
with such positive particularly
when ones official acts are pre-
tended TO be set forth.
You have made reference to my
attitude on labor questions. I here
and now challenge you to publish
my record on all measures of inter-