The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1920-02-06
SERVICES OF OUR
SENIOR SENATOR

In regard to Senator Fletcher's
work in the Senate. the Tampa Times
says:
A Few Things We Owe to Senator
Fletcher
When a man offers his name for
the first time as a candidate for a
prominent Office, the public, which is
expected to vote for him, is naturally
curious to know what are his quail
fcations for the office he seeks. If he
comes up for reelection. however,
after serving a term or more, he case
is somewhat different If he is a man
of force and power, something more
than a mere fgurehead or rubber
stamp, he has made record for good
or bad to which the people can refer
in forming judgment. AS Lincoln
once said, "You can fool some Of the
people all of the time. and you may
fool all of the people some Of the
time, but you cannot fool all the peo-
pie all of the time" The people may
be fooled in their first estimate of a
man, who is comparatively unknown
to a majority of them, but after he
has served them for six years at
Washington in the fierce light of
publicity which is turned upon their
public servants in that city. they can
not again be fooled. They have taken
his measure, they have decided the
case for or against him, they will say
to him when he next asks for their
franchises, "Well done, good and
faithful servant" or they will tell
him, depart from me. I never knew
! you"
What will they say to Duncan U.
Fletcher when he asks for their votes
in the coming primary? We believe
| they have already decided upon hteir
| verdict, but perhaps brief statement
of our reasons for this belief may not
be out of place. To begin with, the
people of Florida are democratic by
a large majority, and they admire
Senator Fletcher because he has al
ways stood up loyalty. consistently
and courageously for democratic prin-
ciples. He has never fiirted with the
enemies of democracy; never lowered
his flag at the behests of socialism or
bolshevism; never dragged religion
into the filth and mire of a political
campaign to advance his own person
al interests. During the war he stood
Loyalty behind President Wilson in all
his war policies, and he still supports
him in his efforts to make lasting
peace for all the world. He has never
| sidestepped an issue with thought
to advance his own political fortunes.
His course has always been straight
fol- ward and uniformly toward the
goal of pure democracy.
| His services to Florida, to the South
and to the entire nation have been
manifold, and too numerous for COM
plete description in the compass of a
| single newspaper article. and we
| shall attempt to give an enumeration
Of only the most important, premis-
ine that he has never failed to re-
spond to an appeal from a citizen of
| the state which he is proud to serve
and represent.
His eleven years in the u. s. Sen
ate have been marked by a deal OF
real constructive work. That great
body early recognized his ability, and
assigned him to important committees
rarely given to new members. In nc
single instance did he fail in the tasks
which were given him. He was made
chairman of the committee on trans.
portation routes to the seaboard, and
his influence is seen in the equaliza,
tion of export rates through southern
ports, which was bitterly fought BY
northern ports who did not want then
export business taken away from
them. The result will be seen in the
steadily increasing Importance of al
southern ports for many years tt
come. The great middle west will
profit by it in relief from the conges
ton, hindrance and delay resulting
from the exclusive use of few north
ern ports.
AS member of the Senate commit
tie on banking and currency he wa
largely responsible for the passage O.
the federal farm loan act, the great
est boon ever given to the farmer O.
America, making it possible for hin
to get the money to expand his bust
. ness and increase his profits at reas
J enable rates, such as were given t.
industrial enterprises, or business or
CARNATIONS. Under that beneficen
act the farmers of America have Dor
rowed over $20O,0OO,OO0 at 51z pc
cent. interest, with the privilege of re
payment at l per cent. per annum
There are now "a farm loan organiza
items operating in Florida alone. wit
\ not a single record of default IN pay
mentS.
Senator Fletcher had charge in tn
Senate of the bill creating the Unite
States shipping board, which has Civ
en- the nation a magnificent merchan
marine, and will eventually give u
that commanding position on the sea
which our great commercial impor
lance demands and justifes. The tim
is rpaidly coming when our grea
l.