The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1919-01-10
GOVERNOR CATS WRITES
ANOTHER LETTER
(Orlando Reporter Starr

(Orlando Reporter Starr
Governor Cats again comes into
the lime light by his ridiculous letter
writing as shown by the following
which comes from the food admins
tration removing any doubt as to l's
authenticity.
Governor Cats has notified the
United States Food Administration
that he can not help that organiza-
ton, unless policies of Federal Food
Administrator Braxton Beacham are
changed to suit the governor.
The governor didn't bite his words
or choose any exceptional grammar
cal or rhetorical style in telling the
Food Administration where its gets
off. His letter was plain and to the
point when he answered c. W. Chew
ming, director of transportation in Ad'
ministrator Beacham's office, MT
Chewing having asked the governor
to help in having some of the Ever
glade work pushed along.
Unfortunately Mr.. Chewing did
not know that the governors request
to have a charge of assault against
wv. L. Coats, representative of Okee-
chobee county dismissed, had been re-
fused. Neither did Mr.. Chewing
have any idea that the Governor OF
Florida would make a price for his
effort in behalf of the people who
need the canals of the Everglades.
Therefore Mr. Chewing wrote the
governor. And the governor an
swered.
! This is what he wrote:
Tallahassee, Jan 7, 1919.
Hon. c. w. Crewning, Director Fed.
eral Food Administration, Orlando,
Florida:
! Dear Sir:--I have your letter of the
30th of December in which you furth-
er make suggestions as to the digging
of the canal through the soft muck
into Lake Okeechobee.
AS told you in my former letter
that is a matter to present to Captain
Elliott, chief engineer of the Ever
glades, and am referring your sec
ond letter to him. do not know
what he will do about same | Car
not see what your department, wher
asked them to help me- get rid .,
law suit, in which Mr. Coats, rep
, resentative from Ckeechobee county
was interested before the fedora
, courts. What's sauce for the goose
is sauce for the gander, and if 70,
/ want Florida to aid you, you should
aid US. The same is true of the stu
/ alton last spring, and 1t is about time
] for us to speak plainly, SO il you de
| sire me to help you, you will have tt
have other policies in your depart
. ment, for the state of Florida is ampl.
abb eto take care Of itself, and we car
r leave your department to do the SAM
!. unless you cooperate with us better
I Yours very truly
l., (Signed) SIDNEY j. Cats,
0 Governor
The Coats Affair.
Following is the story Of the Coat
affair, as told by the Food Admins
tration:
BY placing his signature to an apol
, ogy to be given to the public and es
. pecially the people of Okeechobe
= county, w, L. Coats. member of tn
legislature of Florida from Okeecho
bee county; saved himself from fur
! Their prosecution by the United State
: Food Administration on a charge O
! having committed an assault on a,
official of the food administration. MI
Coats signed the apology at MAN
where hearing had been called be
a fore United States Commissioner Ora
: ham, on January 4.
e l.. e. Davis, County Food Admins
[, traitor Of okeechobee was the chic
II witness against Coats. The evidenc
L. in the hands of the food administre
l. ton, showed that when Coats mad
e a false statement relative to cor
Y meal and grits, in order to get whea
o -four without buying substitutes, Nj
Davis started an investigation. Fai
If ing to find the corn meal or subst
N tutes in Coats possession, Mr.. Davi
R. asked that $25 be contributed to tn
% Red Cross fund Considerable pul