The Pensacola journal., 1920-04-27

Senator Fletcher was introduced to
the audience last night by w. H.
Watson, president of the Fletcher
club OF Escambia county, who said
that people should recognize that IL
was to the best interests of the county
and state that no change should be
made in the senatorship now. Florida
now has the highest ranking senator
that she has had since the Civil war
The senator has occupied his seat since
March 4, 1909.
Declaring that the present time is
the most important period in the his
tory of the nation and that the man
who is best fitted for the place, by
experience and acquaintance i'm ma
tional affairs should be sent to the
United States senate. He said that
it was for the people to decide by ball
lot who should represent this state.
Seniority in service is the general
rule of appointment to important COM
mittees in the senate and on account
of his long service as well as recog-
nized ability Senator Fletcher holds
high places on such committees as
banking and currency, commerce,
judiciary. printing, steering and vari-
Gus others. The state of Florida is
getting the benefit of having kept me
at the job" declared the senator, and
she holds a high position in national
eyes on account of his place on these
committees. A new member is placed
on only unimportant committees, il
any at all, and the very lowest place
on these committees, he continued.
Facing the nation at the present
time are serious questions. he pointed
out. such as readjustment, the present
transportation trouble, the high cost
of living, bolshevism and other mat
ters of national and local Importance.
To deal intelligently and best serve
the country's interest a man of ex-
perience should be placed in the seat
il possible; the country needs every
man who is in A position to get re-
suits, he showed.
OF local Importance Senator Fletch-
er was instrumental in placing threa
ship building plants in this state. the
largest of which is the Pensacola
Shipbuilding Company. He assisted
in locating the Bruce dry docks here
and in locating the naval air station
in Pensacola.
He is the father and engineered the
passage OF the farm loan act, assist
ing many farmers all over America to
pay for their farms. When this bill
was signed by the president the pen
which the president used was pre-
sented to Senator Fletcher on account
of his efforts in gettin: the bill
through.
The rivers and harbors appropria-
ton was passed. alloting Florida
$435, 900 federal aid in maintaining it's
harbors. The senator was chairman
of the committee Will. the party was
in power and is second only to the
chairman at present.
During the war the country loaned
over two billion dollars to the allies
and floated loans for America of over
26 billion without a financial panic.
This was feat undreamed of before
the present and surpasses anything
done by any other country in the
world. Mr.. Fletcher holds a high
place on the banking and currency
committee and advised frequently
with the secretary of the treasury.
He supported the conference report
on the Cummins bill, because there
were only a few days before the rail-
roads would be returned to private
control and some bill had to be passed
before that time. Formerly he had
voted against the bill and against the
anti-strike clause. Mr.. Fletcher ex-
planned his position to the union men
earlier in the evening and touched
very lightly on the bill last night.
The senator was quiet in his adj
dress and used a conversational de-
livery. He gave only statements backed
by recorded truth OF his assertions
and there was an absence of tire
some TRADING. Applause frequently
interrupted the senator and the audi
ence was appreciative of many hum
orous statements.
Senator Fletcher leaves this morn
ing at s.: 80 for Century and Bats and
Molino. He will return here tonight
late and tomorrow goes to Blounts-
town and other points east.