The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1920-03-11
Present Florida Senator Has an
UnbrOken Record of Con-
structive Legislation.
ON STRONG COMMITTEES
Has Served as Chairman of Such
Important Bodies as Trans
pOrtatiOn and Commerce

Il
more for Florida and for the south
of David L. Yulee of Confederate fame.
His record as a senator was attacked
last night by Gov. Cats.
| Frank L. Huffaker in the Tampa
Times speaks eloquently of Senator
Fletcher in the following terms:
"At no time in the history of the Ma
| ton has there been a more imperative
demand for the services of American
sized patriots at Washington than dur
| ing the recent war torn period-for
men who were courageous and knew
how to use their courage to the ad-
vantage of the people and their allies.
1t has been a time for level-headed
constructive action-not for pyrotech-
nics-and the shortcomings of those
who were weighed and found want
ing" have been woefully evident to
themselves and beneficially evident to
their electors.
There have been some instances in
which Florida representatives were ac-
cused of acts that were not American
sized, but it is not the object of this
article to criticise those gentlemen. In
all his acts, officialsand private, how
ever. one member of the Florida dele
cation has marched shoulder to shoul-
der with the boys who wrested victory
from the Hun. That member is
Duncan L. Fletcher, senior senator.
than whom no member of recent year
congresses has contributed more to
the people of the nation and state in
peace or war time.
Before the monster struggle was
dreamed of Senator Fletcher had made
an unusual record in the passage of
constructive laws, including the farm
loan act, and when the storm broke he,
as chairman of the great senate COM
mittee on commerce, took the lead in
establishing the United States ship
ping board, which astounded the world
by the manner in which it builded
ships in which to transport troops and
supplies "Over There"
And in spite of the demands made
upon him throughout the period by
President Wilson. the war, navy and
other departments he, with his office
CO. workers, has always found time to
comply with the smallest requests OF
his most unassuming constituents.
Senator Fletcher is now completing
his second term in the upper house OF
congress, and friends throughout Flor
ida insist that he be returned for a
third term-that his record in peace
in war has entitled him to this honor,
and that at no time has Florida been
in greater need of the service of men
of his type. His work for the state
politically and otherwise, prior to his
election to the senate is too well known
to make mention necessary.
But for his ability and standing
Senator Fletcher would not have been
given the chairpanship of the commit
m xyh +aly
place of the house committee on riv-
ers and harbors. and merchant marine
and fisheries. He served as chairman
of that committee until the republi-
cans gained control of the senate, and
is now its ranking democrat member.
All matters affecting shipping, steam
boat inspection ervi ice, lighthouse
service, aids to navigation, customs
service, and legislation affecting rivers
and harbors come within the jurisdic-
ton of the committee, which is there
fore the most important of all con-
gressional committees to Florida. That
committee handled the bill which Gre
ated the shipping board. The COM
mittee, which met almost daily during
the last session of congress, also
passed bills providing for the housing
and transporting of shipbuilding en-
ployees.
Senator Fletcher is also member
of the committee on military affairs.
and has taken an active part jim all
legislation affecting the army and in
the Investigations of the war depart
ment. He was a member, also, of the
judiciary committee, and during the
|65th congress served on sub commit
tees and conference committees on
most of the important measures which
that committee handled-such as the
espionage bill, the sabotage bill, exten-
sion of powers of the president, and
the like.
He is a member of the corlnlittee
on banking and currency, placed there
by request of members, in order that
they might have the benefit of his
services and knowledge in connection
with the operation of the farm loan
act He originated the whole subject
of rural credits-financial relief to
the farmers. He introduced the first
bill on the subject He was chairman
of the American commission of two
from each state. and of the United
states commission appointed by Presi- |
dent Wilson TO cooperate with the |
American commission in a tour of
European countries and a study of the
various systems of agricultural finance
in operation in the older countries.
The commission collected a mass of
material. which he had printed as a
public document. comprising thou
sand pages. and which formed the
basis of the legislation under which
the farmers of the country are now