The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1919-06-13
passage is referred to the senate. and

-
then to the committee on commerce,
Iof which senator Fletcher is chair
nan, and is handled by it until its
|fnality.
1t may be said in this connection
that Senator Fletcher added to the
rivers and harbors bill additional APP
preparations which aggregated $431,-
900 for the deepening Of our Florida
harbors and improvement of our riv-
| ers.
| The Oklawaha river gets its full
share of this four hundred and thir
ty-one thousand, thanks to our senior
! senator
Senator Fletcher served on the ju-
dietary, military affairs, banking and
currency, printing. public health and
other committees, and On all of which
ne did faithful and excellent work
j And from the very inception of the
war until the day of the armistice,
Senator Fletcher Loyalty held up the
hands of the president, and at 40
/ time did he by word or act throw any
stumbling blocks in his pathway, or
in any manner give aid and comfort
to his malignant critics.
The people of Florida owe him a
debt of gratitude, and not to return
him to his post of duty would SAVIOR
of species of ingratitude.
Senator Fletcher, as chairman Of
| the commerce committee has given
faithful service to the same and has
used his best efforts in endeavoring
to expand our commerce and espe-
! cially for the section that he imme-
diately represents.
1t is universally conceded that to
Senator Fletcher is due the greater
credit for steering the legislation
successfully through congress which
led to the passage of the rural cred
it's bill, which has already done and
will continue to do so much for the
farmers of the United States.
President Wilson very fairly and
Justly sums up the conditions from
which the farmers are relieved by
the passage of this bill, as follows:
1.-The farmers, it seems to me,
have occupied hitherto singular Do
sition of disadvantage. They have
not had the same freedom to get
credit on their real estate that others
have had who were in manufacturing
and commercial enterprises, and
while they have sustained our life
they did not in the same degree with
some others share in the benefits Of
that life. \
Therefore, this bill, along with the
very hbertl provisions Of the federal
reserve sct puts them upon an equal,
iity with all others who have genuine
assets and makes the great credit of
the country available to them. One
cannot but feel that this is delayed
justice to them, and cannot but feel
that it is very gratifying thing to
play any part in doing this act of JUS
tice"
Hon. w. W. Flanagan, secretary
Of the farm loan board, tells what
has been accomplished in the way OF
benefits to the farmers by the enact
ment of this bill into law up to April
so, 1919:
Farm loan associations operating
in the United States, 1916.
Number of loans approved, 1O3,-
SOC for 1854 ,906,O76.
Number of loans closed, 84.160 for
$212, 1884.
Number of associations operating
in Florida, ga.
Number of loans approved in Flor
ida, 1888 for s2,241, 9O5.
Number of loans closed in Flor
ida, 1115 for $1,s94,125.
The number and amount of loans
stated above do not include those
made by joint land banks, but of fed
eral land banks only, through nation
al farm loan associations. How
ever, there is no joint stock land
bank operating in Florida"
The New York American says that
Senator Fletcher may rightfully
claim the honor of being the author
Of this great step forward and this
progressive provision for relieving
farmers from situation which was