The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1920-04-25
Senator Tells of Camp Wheeler
Investigation and Who
Really Carried 1t Out.
ALABAMA STATE AFFAIRS
Cats Was Looking for Job for
Son and Also Wrote '@BoOst"
For Yellow Pine Oil.
BY WILLARD RAMSEY.

Milton, April Ex-senator Duncan u.
Fletcher spoke for more than two
hours at the courthouse here tonight.
The building was crowded and all
standing room was occupied. Many
ladies were present. Senator Fletcher
was frequently interrupted by applause
and one man stated that he had made
Cats seem cheaper than 10 cent
can of sardines."
The senator opened his speech by
telling of the numerous committees he
is on and said that if Cats is elected
Florida will receive no attention in ma
tional matters.
He told of the assertion Cats made
in regard to the steps taken in helping
relieve the cond itions at Camp
Wheeler and also the statement the
governor made in reference to the four
feet of snow the governor said he had
to bog through knee Deep" Fletcher
said in regard to this Cats statement
II have here a telegram from Sidney
J. Cats asking relief of conditions at
Camp Wheeler. Sending kilograms is
all Cats did in regard to this object.
Cats also said that he went to Wash
ington in November, 1917, to hold
discussion with the war department. I
Cats was not in Washington at any
time in November. 1917, signed by New
ton d. Baker. This letter says that
We (tne war Department. have
searched the records for Cats in No
vember 1917, and we fail to find them,
but however, we have a telegram ask
ing for relief
Now that is what the war depart
ment says in regard to the governors
presence. The governor also said he
begged in snow four feet deep at the
time he was seeking relief. / have
reports here from the weather bureau
stating that on the day the governor
said he was in Washington there was
only a slight fall of snow at o'clock,
a. m which melted as it fell.
THAT sounds like begging four feet
deep in snow. In the coldest days
there is no snow that deep unless the
street cleaner rakes it up on the side
walks, and If the governor wanted
walk in that snow to send kilograms to
get political capital he may do so, but
what is the use of walking in snow
when taxis, street cars and other
means of transportation are available.
Thinking there probably could be
something to the Camp Wheeler prop
osition, 1 went to the surgeon general
of the United States myself, and asked
him to go to Camp Wheeler and make
a personal investigation. The general
said There is no use. We have a good
staff TO look after such matters.
but / want you to go yourself
told him. After few hours I received
a letter from the general stating that
he had left for Camp Wheeler to make
investigation.
The general went over the camp
and everything was reported to be in
good condition. So you see that L sent
this officer of the United States to see
for himself and let me tell you this
surgeon general could do more than
1000 Cats. (Applause.)
Il have statements here contained in
a letter saying thousands and thousands
of articles of woolen clothing were sent
to Camp Wheeler two weeks before
the governor made any effort whatever
to seek relief and soon as he heard
this trainload of clothing was going
to the camp he Immediately made an
effort to jump in and tried to possess
the honor of making the shipment, so
as to make political capital.
7 received a wire from the governor
Wnile l. was III " dSnlnB 10 Soll d
meeting on a certain day at 10 o clock
1 did so and at that hour Senator
Trammeu, Congressman Sears. Clark,
Smithwick, Drane and myself met to
hold a discussion with the governor.
After we had waited an hour past the
time he was to show up 1 phoned the
hotel where he had said he had reser-
yations and the clerk of the hotel told
me the governor had wired him to can
eel the reserva tions. He did not wire
my associates or me at all and kept
us waiting.
The governor later wired me again
to call a meeting at certain day and
| did so, and when he happened to
show up the governor said his reason
for not coming sooner was he had
state affairs to attend to in Alabama.
The next day I glanced over a Mont
gomery paper telling of the governor
of Florida holding conference with
the governor of Alabama in regard to
securing a position for a son of the
governor of Florida. That was the
state affairs he was attending to-
The senator had a letter written by
No. 1-Continued on Paue 2,