The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1919-06-13

after the common welfare as a mem
Der of congress, he has but to glance
lover the pages of public document
containing the bills and resolutions
introduced in the United States sen
ate during the sixty fifth congress IN
der the names of the senators intro
ducing them.
1t takes ten columns of this pam
phlet to enumerate and define the
bills and resolutions introduced by
FIoridas senior senator, many of
which became laws. The Importance
of the same and the scope covered
by them, it is hardly necessary to
say, will stand comparison with that
| of any other member of. the war con
gress-the most memorable, per-
haps, in our annals.
This record. OF course, does not
show the work in committees or on
| the floor of the senate, nor does it
show the amendments offered by him
and which were incorporated in bills
introduced by other. members. For
example, the rivers and harbors bill
originates in the house, and after
passage is referred to the senate, and
then to the committee on commerce,
| of which Senator Fletcher is chair
man, and is handled by it until it's
finality
1t may be said in this connection
that Senator Fletcher added to the
rivers and harbors bill additional ap-
preparations which aggregated s431,-
900 for the deepening OF our Florida
harbors and improvement of our riv-
lers.
The oklawaha river gets it's full
share of this four hundred and thir-
ty-one thousand, thanks to our senior
senator.
Senator Fletcher served on the jul
dietary, military affairs, banking and
currency, printing, public health and
other committees, and on all of which
he did faithful and excellent work.
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 no
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
debit of gratitude, and not to return
him to his5ipost Of duty would SAVIOR
of species of ingratitudeail -
Senator Fletcher as chairman eof
the commerce committee othas 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
its 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:
"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 libertl provisions of the federal
reserve act, puts them upon an equal,
ity 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, 3646. !