The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1918-07-20

l nave just returned from Washing
ton after a weeks trip in the inter
ests of Tampa and vicinity and car
say truthfully that what impressed
me most, even more than the high
cost of everything at the Capital
was the Importance, influence, pres
tige and standing of our Florida rep
resentation at Washington and the at
tention and kindness shown us by
Senators Fletcher Trammell and
Congressman Drane. Details of the
mission and of the results achieved
would probably not interest the gen.
eral run of our readers but that we
are so finely represented in Washing.
ton should interest all who read the
Florida Grower
! came away with the impression
that Senator Fletcher is the most
influential Senator in Washington.
He is chairman of the most important
committee in the Senate he is floor
leader and the confidant, mouthpiece
and friend of President Wilson and a
man respected everywhere for his
saneness and ripe Judgment. We
went the rounds of official Washing.
ton with him and we had occasion
to see where he stood. The Com
merce Committee of the Senate is
the one most closely in touch with
the Shipping Board and all war ac-
tlvities, and it is not difficult to see
why department heads should have
great respect for our senior Senator.
We were proud of the Senator and
proud Of the record he has made in
Washington and predict big future
for him as man of national bigness.
!, OF course, felt very much fattered
when Senator Fletcher told me that
he read the Grower each week and
when he. complimented me upon its
Worthiness as paper and Florida
institution.
Senator Trammell has not been as
long at the national capital but his
urbanity and polish have made him
host of friends and the handsome
Senator from Florida is everywhere
recognized. | had the good fortune
to be on subcommittee that visited
several Of the higher-ups at Washing
ton and had occasion to note the re.
spect which was everywhere shown
him and the magic of his name when
sent to department heads. Others
who had been waiting for hours
might still cool their heels in outer
waiting rooms but Senator Tram.
melPs party had to wait nowhere for
any length of time. We quickly
gained access to and were introduced
to Secretary Daniels Of the navy, Ad.
mlral Palmer, and to the Major Gen.
eral commanding the U. s. Marine
Corps. Senator Trammel Is on the
important committee dealing with
naval affairs and so was eminently
the proper person to lead us through
the naval department.
We of Tampa claim Congressman
II. J. Drane as our very own and ev
eryone who knows him knows that he
did all possible for us and | can saw
that he was very efficient help to
us and that 1t was through his efforts
that one of the war activities will
come to Tampa. Mr. Drane met us
as soon as we landed at the hotel and
was right on the job with us from
start to finish. That is Drane right
through; he's always on the Job and
really | do not see how he gets time
to do all the work that he is called
upon to do in the ordinary course of
day without devoting SO much
time to a visiting delegation. He
told us that his working day consist
ed of sixteen hours and even at that
he could not keep up.
All of these men are overworked.