The Newport plain talk. (Newport, Tenn.) 1909-1939, 1912-01-25
CONGRESSMAN SELLS AND DR..
Z. D. MASSEY MEET In DEBATE
Have Lively Session Blountvle Where the Doctor Had
Been Advertised to Speak The Congressman Took Some
of the Hide From the Doctor and Members of the Con-
gresSiona Committee Also Came in for Their Share

then drew $4,000 for few months
work as congressman, and while there
traded his vote for the San Francisco
exposition for the position of manager
OF the Soldiers Home, which the doctor
claims has no salary attached, but Mr..
Sells stated that The managers make
two inspection trips annually, and
that each member gets all expenses
paid and a certain mileage for the trips,
and that inasmuch as all travel on
passes, the mileage brings an income
of about l,2O0 or 81, 800 per year
Then, also, each manager is entitled to
a clerk. and to this position the doctor
has named his daughter, who receives
S4OO for ner part.
DR.. Massey followed Mr.. Sells and
varied his speech considerable from
that delivered in Newport. When he
spoke here he stated that he had had
passed twenty odd private pension
bills, but at Blountville he was not
certain as to the number and Congress
man Sells explained to him that the
record showed but seven, and these all
secured while a Republican house was
in full sway, which gave pension bills
the right of way at all times. When
he spoke in Newport DR.. Massey was
very loud in self-praise for his three
days and three nights work for the
Southern war claim bill, but he entirely
forgot this feature when Mr.. Sells was
present.
The main point of DIR. Massey's
speech was that Congressman Sells
was prone to make promises and that
there were numerous prospective post
masters promised jobs throughout the
district. He referred to the Newport
situation and claimed that Major
Hicks had been asked to resign by
Congressman Sells just for the purpose
of putting the manager of the Soldiers
Home in hole. He made statements
about other postoffice situations, and
mentioned names of disappointed office
seekers, but in his rejoinder Mr.. Sells
asked him to produce proof that he
had ever promised job to any one
man and turned him down. Several
of those whose names had been men,
toned by DR.. Massey in his speech
were present, but no proof was forth
coming. DR.. Massey claimed that Mr..
Sells was taking care of his enemies
and one point of illustration he said
was that o. b. Lovett, secretary of the
committee, had been made
assistant postmaster at Greeneville,
but Mr.. Sells poked fun at him by
answering that Mr.. Lovett was not
connected in any way with the post
office, but instead was clerk and mas
ter or Greene county, which office he
bad filled for years.
DR.. Massey was unable to answer
the charges brought against his record
while in the state senate, and in Mr..
Sells rejoinder he broke down and the
meeting threatened to break up in a
general uprosr, but Mr.. Sells finally
silenced the crowd and put question
after question at the doctor 50 rapidly
that the doctor became very angry.
Mr.. Sells finally brought the discussion
10 a close by accusing the doctor of
running about the district telling that
which was not true, and of which he
did not offer one item in proof.