The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1919-06-27
POLITICS IN THE STATE
BOARD OF HEALTH
An Open Letter from Representative
Phillips to Governor
Cats

Lake City, June 25.-W: w. Phil
lips, representative to the Florida
Legislature from Columbia county, to-
day issued the following open letter
to Governor Cats relative to the
state board of health muddle:
Gov. Sidney J. Cats, Tallahassee,
Fla. Sir: I have read with degree
of interest your communication ad-
dressed to the supreme court asking
their advice as TO your powers In re-
gard to the state health officer.
I have also noted with another de-
gree of interest your actions in re-
gard to the same subject.
Unjust to Friday
Again, I have read your man Fri
days (Frecker) action in removing
DIR. Cox as state health officer.
Ordinarily these events would not
in the least interest me, for l assure
you that insofar as I am concerned,
it matters not to me who holds these
positions, as long as they are compe-
tent and honest men, and let me make
it plain to you in the very beginning
that neither of these gentlemen, Cox
nor Frecker, are my personal friends,
but merely men with whom person
ally have only slight acquaintance.
am not interested In them either
from a personal or a political stand
point, would not condemn nor praise
either unless facts were presented to
make it clear to my mind that one or
the other was in order.
But, governor, / desire to refresh
your memory and perhaps to ask you
few pertinent questions. Of course
you have the privilege of ignoring
these questions the same as you have
done other recommendations But fo1
decency's sake. you at least, should be
honest, not only with yourself but
with the people of the state of Flor
ida.
At the extraordinary session of the
legislature, the house appointed 9
committee to investigate all state in.
stitutions and report their findingr
and recommendations to the regular
session.
Work of the Committee
1t was my lot to be placed as ons
member of this committee. This com
mittee visited the state institutions
took testimony under oath, and a
considerable trouble and expense
made up their report together with
| their recommendation and submitted
them to the house during its regular
session in April and May. These re
ports were accepted by that body anC
ordered spread on the journal.
In our investigation we had befor'
US DR.. Cox, G. T. Frecker. DR.. Hamb
lin and Mr.. Earnest, all OF the stat,
board of health. Their testimony wa
taken under oath. and PERSONAL.
asked quite few questions / aske'
Mr.. Frecker, president of the board
IL the friction which existed between
himself and DR.. Cox, the state healtl
officer, could be reconciled so that tn
affairs of the state would not suffer
and he replied that as far as he wa
concerned, they could not. / the
asked him if he thought that DIR. Co.
was competent and he replied, yes, 8
far as he could learn.
Frecker Was Fractions
Il I then asked him what was tn
i trouble with DR.. Cox, and he said tina
! he lacked executive ability.
I then reminded him (Frecker) tina
: the state board of health was big
: ger institution than any individual
: and that the health of the peopl
lshould not be jeopardized by two O