The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-09-05
S. ]. CATS SPOKE
TO LARGE CROWD
HERE LAST NIGHT

ing in the park last night, when Sid
ney ]. Cats, candidate for Cover,
nor, delivered an address. The crowd
was, of course, not composed exclu-
sively of Cats supporters; the band
can and does draw 1000 people to
the park any night. But there was a
good audience, and a large part of
it was with the speaker, as evidenced
by the applause and cheers which
greeted his sallies and points.
The speaker was introduced by Mr..
R. M. Mayes, who was acquainted
with Mr.. Cats in Alabama. Cats
put on the soft pedal" as he him
self expresses it, and did not make
the rabid, Incorporate speech which
he has made in other communities
This was a compliment to Lakeland.
Mr.. Cats is shrewd politician, and
he sizes up his community and makes
the speech he thinks will go best
there. He evidently regards Lake
land as above the average in intelli-
gent citizenship, and he cut out such
as marching to Talla-
hassee at the head of 10000 men and
taking the Governors mansion by
force. Neither did he repeat the
coarse slurs against the young high
school graduates of the State, which
have aroused storm of indignation
His speech, ON the whole,
was temperate and understandable
Of course, there were portions Of it
in which poor Truth was crushed to
earth so fiat that it would seem she
couldn't rise again; but perhaps that
was no more than was to be ex-
pected.
He reviewed the recount proceed
ings instituted by Mr.. Knott, stating
that the latter had instituted Sc diff
ferent lawsuits, failing, however to
explain that the reason he did so
was that Mr.. Cats had opposed the
recount at every individual pre-.
cinct, and had thrown every possible
legal obstruction in the way. Had
Mr.. Cats consented to recount, as
many honorable men would have
done, no lawsuit at all would have
been necessary.
He stated that "they"--whoever
that may be-held back the vote of
fourteen counties for two weeks, in
order to count him out" but that
the Cats men woke up in time,
and didn't. allow. Knott TO get quite
enough votes. He detailed an imag-
mary conversation-though he con-
trived to convey to the less quick
witted of his hearers that it was an
actual versation-between Mr.
Knott and his lawyers in Jackson
Vile, in which Mr.. Knott objected
to stealing enough votes to take the
election from Cats, but was finally
obliged to consent to this act, be-
cause he owed somebody-he was not
clear at this point-either Cardinal
Gibbons, Jim Bars, Pleas Holt or
Charlie Jones, $4,000, which he
could not pay; and so to cancel the
debt, poor Mr.. Knott tearfully con-
sented to steal votes enough out OF
the various ballot boxes to offset
Cats plurality. He said Cardinal
Gibbons had furnished $4,000 to
accomplish the work Of counting
him out. At Jacksonville he gave
the amount as 100000; and, admit
ting the $4,000, he does not explain
what went with 10000 Of it, as he
saws Knott owed only $4,000
catholic money" Every person who
knows anything at all knows that 1t
IS extremely unlikely that Cardina!
Gibbons ever heard of Cats, but, TO
use Cats expression again, SUCH
stories will do to fool the Crack
ers.
He next attacked the Catholic
Observation-Disclosures that is. This
terrible thing had never been heard
If in Florida until Cats came ID
save us from it; but, having set up
his man of straw, he pounded II
with great ferocity. He drew an
affecting picture of the men, women
and children of Florida, all being
marched up to Mr.. Knott, in case
he is elected, and all being forced 70
kneel and hold out their hands wniie
Mr.. Knott FORCES the shackies OF
gives" of the Roman hierarchy up
IN each and all of them. Mr.. Knott
CONTINUED on Page 3D.