The Punta Gorda herald., 1920-05-20
FLETCHER HEARD BY
MANY And MADE A
GOOD IMP RESSION
Shows Up Cats as ROmanCcr Second
Only to Munchausen; Speech
ELECTED Applause.

United States Senator Duncan U
Fletcher was cordially received when
he visited Punta Gorda Saturday
afternoon and addressed a crowd OF
possibly 125 people in the Plaza
theater in the interest of his candi-
dacy for reelection. His reception
was in striking contrast to that ac-
corded Governor Sidney ]. Cats, who
spoke to a small and Indifferent, not
to say hostile, crowd on the street
several weeks ago.
Taking up one by one of the reck-
less declarations made by his op-
ponent in his literature and on the
stump, the senator in calm and dig
nified but rather good-na red way,
showed that the governor had been
drawing on his imagination to re-
markable extent, and in doing this
the senator did not generalize when
he politely called attention to the
governors inaccuracies, but referred
his hearers to the written records.
The senator said that the opposi-
ton had even declared that he had
no part in securing farm loan legis-
lation. 81 originated that farm loan
legislation" declared the senator.
Il wrote it into the Democratic
party's platform at Baltimore, and l
worked for it in congress, introduc-
ing the first bill looking to its enact
ment ever considered by congress,
and when, after more than three
years fight for the bill in committee
and in the senate, the Hollis bill,
which took the place finally of the
Fletcher bill, with amendments, was
signed, the president, in the presence
of senators and representatives., turn
ed and presented me with the gold
pen with which he signed it in token
OF his appreciation cor the work
had done for the farm loan bill"
Senator Fletcher quoted from data,
giving the amounts which had been
loaned to farmers under this legisla-
ton, Florida farmers alone securing
millions of dollars with which to i'm
prove their farms and better their
condition, and said that there now is
a movement, backed by great loan
organizations of the Northwest, to
break down the farm loan act by
amendments that would increase the
interest rate hereafter. do you
want man to represent you in
Washington who is acquainted with
these matters, and who has worked
for what we've got, or person who
knows absolutely nothing about it?"
he asked.
The governors narrative about
saving the day for the soldiers at
Camp Wheeler was shown to be over
drawn and that it was at Senator
Fletcher's urging that conditions
were remedied by the urgeon-gener-
al; that Cats declared that he 'wad-
ed four days in snow knee-deep in
Washington" could not have founda-
ton because there was only a trace
of snow in Washington that month,
and that Cats actually did not so to
Washington until nearly month
after the Camp Wheeler emergency
had been attended to. And when he
did go to Washington, it was on an
other mission Senator Fletcher
said if Cats, as governor, did any
thing to help the boys in camp, or the
nation in any capacity, while at war,
it was no more than he should have
done, and that he should not be.
throwing it up to them and asking
for votes in exchange. Senator
Fletcher visited Camp Wheeler per-
sonally to look into conditions, but
said that he did not expect support
for anything he did to help the boys
in camps, overseas, Ito get them into
camp, or to get them out'-that it
was pleasure to help one who was
helping his country.
Cats claim that he kept a leper
colony out of Florida is myth, said
the senator. There never was the
least danger of establishing such an
institution in Florida, but Cats got
a junketing trip to Washington, &C
companied by his friend, Joe Ear
man, and Shell Fish Commissioner
williams, and wisely had the super
intendent of the insane asylum goI
along" That trip, said the speaker,
cost the taxpayers of Florida $1,000.
He reminded his hearers that there is
not an instance where Cats, as gov
ernor, approved a single bill propos-
ed and passed that would have les
sened taxes, but that he vetoed them
because they would reduce his ap-
pointive power. Cats promised that
he would work to lower taxes, but
the levy has practically doubled.
The hotel inspectors were cited as a
part of Cats electioneering machine.
One of the strongest points made
by Senator Fletcher was his reference
TO Cats denunciaticn of his (Fletch- !