The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1919-10-20
CATS AND THE LEPER COLONY
Gov. Spends Sunday, Oct. II, in Try
ing to Boost His Political
Fortunes in Levy
{ Williston Progress

establishment of a leproSarlum at /
Cedar Key. They spoke to quite a !
large crowd of Greek fishermen and |
other citizens Of Cedar Key Saturday !,
night and with vivid word pictures !
succeeded in prejudicing their au-
dience against the establishment of
the colony out in the gulf, not far
from the village.
Sunday morning they visited Bron-
son and spoke to an audience there
and then proceeded to Williston,
where they spoke to about a hundred
people at the school house in the aft
ernoOn. They brought a delegation
II ON Cedar Key with them to both
Bronson and Williston.
The speakers were introduced by
Shelton Phillips. an ardent supporter
OF the governor.
DR.. Greene spoke on the subject of
leprosy, giving such figures as best
served the purpose of the meeting,
the prejudicing of the audience
of the national government of proper
~ providing for tie unfortunate and
bringing to Cedar Key a million and
half dollars year.
DR.. Greene was fair to his audience
and as result of questions asked
| brought out a few facts that he fail
ed to mention in his discourse.
| Among these interesting facts are
these: There are in all in the United
| States about one thousand lepers,
many of whom are confined in state
| leprosariums in Louisiana and Cali
| fornia. Florida is one of the freest
states of leprosy but has fifteen
known cases, several of whom are in
| Key West, with one in Seminole coun-
| ty. CDR. Greene stated that this case
! was isolated but we have evidence to
| the contrary. There are 5000 cases
Of tuberculosis in Florida with no re-
strictions. tuberculosis is more fatal
| and much more contagious than lep-
rosy.
Following DIR. Greene. Gov. Cats
spoke, introducing his remarks by
slandering a citizen of the county, the
editor of the Progress, who had tele-
graphed him from Tampa urging him
tc wait until he knew the attitude of
the people of Levy county, before
| gong to washington.
The governor declared that the
statements in the telegram were
gross misrepresentation and stated
that Cedar Key was unanimously
against the establishment of the col
ony and that he believed the entire
county was against it. He then call
ed for a show of hands and about
forty of the voters of the district,
with a number of children, voted as
directed.
With this vote the governor decid-
ed that he would go to Washington
with the statement that Levy county
vas solidly against the establishment
of the colony. He stated further that
when he got through with General
Blue there would be no leper colony
in Florida. He said he was going to
General Blue like Ben Tillman OF
South Carolina went after things
"Ben Tillman isn't polite" said the
governor, "and it don't pay to be pc,
lite. I'm trying to persuade Greene
here to drop his pOliteness, for polite
folks don't get nowhere" The gov.
ernor stated that if he had two eyes
|
he'd be like Ben Tillman.
The governor was really in his best
fighting mood; he had come to Levy
, county to tell the people what they
: wanted, not to find out, and he de.
! clared that if the county commission
ers dared to pass the resolution that
was coming up Monday, and urging
, the placing of the colony near Cedar
Key, he would have a new set of com
rlissioners in office by Wednesday.
The governors statement that the
water was only waist deep between
Cedar Key and the proposed site Of
) the leprosarium he acknowledged il
private after the speech was hearsay
taken from citizens of Cedar Key
The government chart shows a mini
mum depth at low water of seven anc
ore-half feet and this minimum is MOI
directly between the two islands.
Gov. Cats gave his audience Z
vivid word picture of the horrors o.
, the disease, stating that after th'
government captured the lepers anC
placed them on the island near Cedar
Keys, they would come ashore anC
scatter out through Levy county anC
, that in fifty years practically the en-
tire county would have the disease
which was spread by the patient spit.
ting on the ground, the spittle drying
and blowing in the air and being tax
eE in by healthy individuals.
He showed his ability as a wore
picture painter in his description OF
the loathsomeness of the disease anc
its effect on the unfortunate patient
"Who went to his grave unwept, un.
! hcnored and unsung."
His attack on the government is
better unpublished but it was not
mplimentary. He closed his speech
with prayer.
, NOTICE