The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1920-05-15
FLETCHER AND pRoHlslrloN.

There is a splendid spirit of fairness
in the American people which may
always be counted on. when they are
put to the test; spirit that rises to
combat influences founded upon fraud
and Misrepresentation. One Of the
chief reasons for Fletcher's increasing
with the people of the state,
is based upon this spirit of fair play.
the spirit which denies the right Of any
man to use falsehood to back his poll
teal aspirations or to ride into public
favor on wave Of fanaticism.
Nothing has done the Cats faction
greater harm than the attempt of some
Of his followers to inject the question
of prohibition into the campaign, sug-
costing that Fletcher's attitude is I'M
certain.
Senator FIetcher's views on the SUBJ
ject of prohibition are a matter OF
record. His vote for the resolution
proposing an amendment to the con-
stitution, which became the 18th
amendment, and his vote for the laws
to enforce the amendment-the Vol
stead Act, being matter of record in
the journal Of the senate.
In a Vox. Populi communication to
The Journal, Thos. Cotterill says: I'VE
know without question what the gov
ernor will do If he goes to Washing
ton, with regard to prohibition and
enforcement of the 18th amendment"
In view of the record of Governor
Cats, it would be a wise man who
would be able to predict what the gov
ernor would do in regard to that ques-
ton or any other question. should he
succeed in fooling the people into send
ing him to Washington as their repre-
sentative.
: Senator. Fletcher's stand on prohibit
ton is a matter of principle. He
voted in accordance with what he be-
stituents, and that vote favored ma
tionwide prohibition. Cats, in en-
bracing prohibition, did so for reasons
of expediency, boiling the democratic
party, when he found himself beaten,
and using the prohibitionists as a
means to further his ambitions.
1t was this same ambition which
caused him to use religious prejudice
as means to an end. When that end
had been achieved and the time came
for another campaign, finding that a
reaction had set in against his cam
tempted to make friends with the enc
my and has recently had members Of
the Roman Catholic Church appear on
the platform with him at public
speakings, in the hope of winning votes
OF the very people whom last campaign
he SO bitterly assailed.
In spite of the fact that Cats
changes his political views as easily as
nh hi y, =, y, n
a chance to redeem himself, had he
lived up to the promises made to the
people of the state during his first
But this he did not do.
Cats is an opportunist-that is all.
Prohibition happening to be the great
question of the hour, he seized it to
catch votes. But if Cats had never
been heard of, we should have had
prohibition just the same. The people
of the state wanted it, and it did not
need any extra session of the state leg
islature to give it to them; the United
States constitution would have given
it to them, and did give it to them, just
the same.
Cats was not needed to give prohi-
bition to Pensacola, the federal gov
eminent had already done that, dur
the war, as safeguard to the soldiers
and sailors creating a zone about the
city and it's environs.
Cats grand stand play all over the
state is to make a flying visit to a
town when it is in the grip of some
local problem, remove somebody and
get himself in the papers. The fact
that many of those whom he has re-
have been reinstated, proves
y, =
hastily and without sufficient proof or
careful consideration of the questions
involved.
If Cats is sent to the United States
Senate, Florida has no possible way
to guage what he would do, except
that he would be as spectacular as
opportunity would allow.
With Fletcher in the United States
senate the prohibitionists know that
they have man there whose record
IN the senate journal proves that he
has twice cast his vote for national
and who may be counted
on to stand by his principles.
The laboring man knows that he has
lone more to give labor employment
than any other man who has repre-
sented Florida in the United States
senate IOr uecdQe, having been in
strumental not only in putting through
he legislation which made the Ship
ping Board possible, but having used
MS influence to establish ship building
plants in Pensacola, Jacksonville, Tam
pa and Key West, these plants having
not only benefited the men EMPLOYED
here, but having been indirectly the
means Of increased wages in all lines,
owing to the competition engendered.
The farmers know that they will have
! friend who has fought their battles
N the senate and whose influence
has largely been responsible for bet
.er opportunities for financing farm
ng operations; the farm loan bill which
Fletcher fathered has been the means
= giving to farmers of the entire
country financial backing, and no Sec
ion of the country has so profited
through this as has the South, and
particularly Florida, which has gone
Onward almost miraculously since the
resolution became law.
Business men will vote for Fletcher