The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1920-03-28


enabled to obtain financial accommo-
dations at rate Of interest of 1-2
per cent and for the first time the
Florida farmer gets his money at the
same rate, and on the same terms as
the farmer in Ohio. Michigan, or any
other most favored agricultural state.
Another great measure proposed be-
fore were became involved in the war.
which 1 urged and handled in the SEN
ate, was the bin committing the gov
eminent to the building of merchant
vessels and vigorous, determined eff
forts to establish an American mer-
camille marine.
The first bill was filibusted to
death at the close OF the session of
1915-after I had the yeas and nays
ordered on the bill, and had kept the
senate In continuous session for 65
hours, without recess or adjournment.
When the country realized we must
have ships. that private enterprise was
not building them, the opposition to
the legislation ceased, and we passed
the shipping act of September, 1916.
Do you suppose a new men who
could not even be a member of that
first class committee for years, could
be a safer guide, and render you and
the country better service In sne
proper solution of these propIems,
than ] can?
That is the question the people of
Florida must decide-who is the man
best qualified and in the best position
by reason of his experience, and by
reason of his knowledge respecting
these great problems. to render the
highest service to the state?
Now, my friends, since the governor
has been going about the state con-
stantly since June. criticising me di-
rectly and by innuendo, in his effort
to be elected TO the senate, neglect
ing the duties Of his office to which
the people elected him. perhaps ought
to refer to the reasons he urges as
justifying support and the unwar-
ranteo assertions he makes to diminish
your confidence in me.
The governor dreams. He sees vi
sions. He imagines things to have oc-
Cured as he would like them, and
states them, even though they did not
He does not weigh well his words
they count for nothing except to sound
well.
When he begins to draw on that
Imagination plain truth sits up and
shrieks for mercy.
To illustrates: When, In a public
address. he tells quite story to the
effect that three liquor men tried to
bride him and offered him $50, 90
not TO call special session of the leg
islature-it turned out to be. as most
people believed It was-pure fiction
the product of his imagination. Why
keep such a dastardly attempt to cor
rupt him a secret until now?
Likewise when he states in his cir
cular that he begged around Wash
ington knee deep in snow for four
days. sending kilograms, ETC., you
wonder at the gift OF romance dis
played. particularly when the truth is
he was not in washington at all that
winter and there never was a time
when the snow was knee deep on the
streets. much less on the sidewalks,
for one day In Washington and there
is surely no need to hunt snowbanks
in which TO send kilograms
The same fairy tale proclivity is ex-
hibited when he speaks OF my idle
ness and inactivity'' and 'ostenta-
tious display"
has observed my work, and knows of
my habits, who would agree with the
governor. I should like to meet him
He would be rare specimen. ana 1
could produce thousand to one who
would disprove what he says.
He claims to have saved the state
from a leper colony. He did nothing
OF the kind. He got a junketing trip
out OF it to Washington at a cost to
the tax payers of a thousand dollars,
ana did more harm than good You
understand the Public Health Service
is a bureau of the Treasury Depart
ment. An act OF congress provided
for the establishment of a national
home for lepers. A commission was
appointed TO select a location. This
board selected the islands off Cedar
Keys. which the government owned
The surgeon general was absent when
they reported. When he returned he
advised the senator's and representa-
tives from Florida or the status OF
the matter. Immediately we all pro-
Tasted and insisted mat the home be
located elsewhere. The governor heard
Of II and began to raise '.hLs strong
free voice" and wanted to appear
before the surgeon general. made
an appointment. He failed TO appear
and never even notified any of the
delega ton, or the surgeon general
that he would not attend. Later he
wanted another appointment and that
was arranged. He, DR.. Greene, Mr.
carmen. Commissioner Williams, and
others came and were heard by the
surgeon general, who had already as
sured us he would ask to have the
report of the board disapproved by the
secretary, if we assured him the peo-
pie objected to the colony. / had al
ready assured him the opposition OF
the people was widespread and pro-
nounce ed Finally I took the matter