The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1920-04-03
LACK OF RESPECT.

They should know enough to show respect TO
the governor" said Sidney ]. Cats, when he took
advantage of his position commander in-chief OF
the Florida National Guard to order the local COM
pany off the street at Hastings. Monday night be-
its drilling interferred with his campaign
speech. person might travel both far and long
without again witnessing so disgusting an exhibition
Of arbitrariness. To those who had never before
seen the candidate and who knew him only by repu-
tation it indeed enlightening. OF this the Has
tings Herald says:
Sidney ]. Cats not in Hastings the gov
ernor Of Florida. He was here merely Sidney j.
Cats, citizen of Florida and candidate for the Of
flee OF United States senator. His being here
merely an incident it had bearing whatever on
the duties of state official on the welfare of
the state.
The national guard company drilling in the
street in accordance with its established CUSTOM and
on its regular drill night 1t doing its duty in
attending drill and practicing the manual of
Under the circumstances it properly took precedence
over stump speakers and soap box ranters of every
description. But Sidney J. Cats, governor of the
state through regrettable and regretted errors of
majority of his fellowcitzens. ruled otherwise. He
ordered the tAational guard off the street,
sonably and with justice but arbitrarily and with
out cause, taking advantage of opportunity to
impress upon his audience the full power he
imagines he possesses.
did Cats do that because. he said. he resent
ed lack of respect shown the governor? He did not
Cats didn't rap whether the office of gov
ernor received respect insult. What bothered
him was that there existed in the town of Hastings
body Of who would dare show the audacity
to attend to their affairs instead of rushing to
listen with open -mouthed wonder and admiration
to the edifyng and admirable discourse being pre-
scented by Sidney the First. Rex
In ordering those off the street as though
they were mischievous schooboys and in his foolish
mouthings that he would whip the whole lot il
they returned" Cats offered gratutius insult to
every national guardsman in the state OF Florida
federal uniform in time OF war. BY that action he
has thrown the true light on his attitude toward
the soldier
His proudest campaign boast is the tiresome re-
petition of what he says he did for the soldiers at
Camp Wheeler, which is undoubtedly greatly exag-
gerated and highly magnfied. he did anything at
all for those soldiers however. his latest action
makes it evident that whatever was DONE he did,
not through respect for the soldiers themselves but
for the possible personal political advantages
might bring him.
THE men ne nsuted Monday night were not
men who like Cats himself serve the state be-
cause of the personal prestige it brings together
with the opportunity to place the members of the
family in fat. well paying political jobs They serve
for a nominal salary" OF eight or ten dollars a
| month, 1or which they give in return several eve
nings of hard, laborious work at drill They serve
through the patriotic desire to AS such they
deserve the respect of every citizen of the state
| and doubly the respect of the states highest
executive.
when that executive exhibits so Enthusiastically his
true regard for the soldiers his own state he can
throw no clearer light what would be his at
titude toward the soldiers of the nation should he
succeed in worming his way to senatorial toga
Many important army bills to come before the
senate during the next few years Certainly no
man who has the uniform desires to see
those bills passed on by senator who has thus
served notice that. in his regard soldier is
than ordinary street loafer to be ordered at will
to get off the street There is telling what class
OF men may back Cats in his campaign but after
this exhibition, it will be indeed amazing if there
should be found among them any soldiers or ex-
soldiers who feel that they can vote for him and
at The time retain their self-respect"