The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1922-07-31
HONOR BPAID
CONGRESSMAN
HERBERT DRANE

u The following from the Clearwater
Sun Of Friday will be Of local inter
est:
"The Civitan Club of Clearwater en-
tertained Congressman H. j. Drane
at dinner at the Clearwater Beach
hotel last evening. There were TWEEN
ty-two at table. After a good dinner
which was served in the usual salts
/ factory style of this excellent hotel
the master of ceremonies, Attorney ].
L. Kelley called upon Mayor Frank
Booth, who welcomed Congressman
Drane to Clearwater in a few we'll
chosen words. Mr.. Booth and Mr..
Drane have been close friends for
many years, and the mayor found it
an easy task to express his pleasure
at having the congressman here
again.
Circuit Judge M. A. McMullen who
also has been a long time friend and
admirer of Mr.. Drane, made brief
address in which he told of times be-
fore Mr.. Drane became congressman,
and of their trips about this section
of the country when votes were the
most important fish being angled for.
Mr.. Kelley introduced Mr.. Drane.
Mr.. Drane said he had no speech pre-
pared for the occasion, and would
therefore talk about fifteen minutes,
which he stated he had once been
told was too long.
Our congressman has the happy
faculty of impressing his hearers with
his sincerity His words come from
= &c, MI m Jeff
to him. Mr.. Drane is not given to
merely entertaining tells of
things we shoulG know and suggests
things we should do to make this a
better land to live in. He is interested
in the physical development of Clear
water and her beautiful bay, OF which
he referred to as Gods beauty spot
He told Of the origin of Clearwater
which was about the time of the new
er-to-be-forgotten massacre of Major
Dade and his command. stating that
Fort Harrison was referred to in the
dispatches at that time and Fort Har-'
rison became Clearwater.
Mr. Drane spoke of the beautiful
sunsets over the bay and said he
thought more of these things now as
he is nearing the sunset of life, and
his hearts desire is to spend his sun
set here where he can commune with
his Creator surrounded by friends
amid the galleries of natures master
artists.
Sunset did not occupy the major
portion of the congressmans speech,
far from it, He spoke of sunrise;
and predicted a great future for
Clearwater, Pinellas county and the
west coast section of Florida. Clear
water will never become a great COM
mercial city, said the congressman, 1t
is too beautiful for that, it would be a
pity should it ever lose, its charm in
the smoke of factories that cloud the
horizon of the great marts of indus
try. Clearwater will continue to
grow and prosper, however, and its
charm will draw, as it has in the past
not the foreign laborer, the man of
lower ideals, the man that looks
down, but the man imbued with the
spirit OF American manhood, the love
of his fellow men and the fear of
God in his heart, the man that looks
upward and onward to better day
and better life. Clearwater is in the
morning of life, said the speaker, the
possibilities unfolding before her are
myriad as the shafts of the rising
sun, her beauty and charm will never
grow less while her destiny is in the
hands of true American manhood as
1t is today.
"Mr. Draife stood on the porch of
the Clearwater Beach hotel and
watched the setting sun as it played
its rays along the bayshore of Clear
water. He was wrapt in admiration
and remarked: The most beautiful
place in the world
Regarding politics, Mr.. Drane said
he held political ties lightly. but en-
phasized his love of personal friends
and the ties of friendship. He de-
clared, in substance, that while he APP
preciated the support OF the demo
Gratis who honored him by giving him
la seat in congress, that when 1t comes
Ito service for his district he considers
first and foremost the best interests
OF all the people. In way he is not
la democrat or a republican-just an
American, working for his people and
his country. He told Of being called
into the office Of the secretary OF
war, Mr.. Weeks, and addressing the
secretary as Mr. Secretary. Mr..
Weeks said, sit down, Cracker, want
to talk to you He asked Mr.. Weeks
what he knew about Crackers. The
secretary replied that he was one
himself, used to roam about Orlando.
fish and hunt and enjoy life, But
what the secretary really wanted
from Mr.. Drane was to find out what
was best for Florida. in what capacity
could he be OF most service to the
people of this state. The secretary
was not endeavoring to serye-the re-
publican interests and voters. though
he is of that party, but desires to
give intelligent service to all the peo-
pie. Mr.. Weeks said he married
democrat and she never changed
Mr., Drane said he married repuD-
lIican and she has been converted to|
ltha daroocrafic faith through reading