The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1914-08-21

wrote a series o. very interesting
newspaper articles telling OF his eX-
periences and observations among
the laboring people Of that country,
particularly with reference to wages
and the cost of living and the differ
ences in this country because OF the
high tariff. l took some OF these let
ters and read them into the Congress
sional Record, giving Mr.. McGhee
full credit for them. This was not a
speech at all, and did not pretend to
be, but was merely the Introduction
of some very valuable data collected
by Mr.. McGhee for the benefit OF the
members OF congress, as the tariff
was then an issue. Those who would
likwe to see the proof that Baker has
lied about this, as about other things.
may consult the Congressional Rec
ord of the second session of the Six
ty-frst congress, pages 1868 to 1914
inclusive.
Every two years the Democratic
campaign committee issues cam
paian, handbook, for use in the plV-
otal districts, and for the guidance
of Democratic ,peakers and editors;
during the campaign. This hand
book has been issued five times since
l have been in congress, and three
times it has contained speeches dellV-
cred by me on the floor of the house.
l would not detract from the honor
or glory of any other man, but 90
not believe that any other member
of congress has been thus honored by
Iais colleagues during the ten years that
I have been in the house. l make no
claims to gifts of oratory, Z t When
I do speak or write have something
to say and l tell the truth straight
from the shoulder, as l am doing
now. H.
As tot Absenteeism.
1t is charged that have been away
from the house a great deal while 1t
mas been in session, that out OF 99l
roll calls l was absent 253 times.
CHARGES of this kind have been MADE
against members Of congress ever
since we have had congress.
have not taken the trouble to verify
the figures as given by Baker, but, as
suming that they are correct. winch l
doubt. l am surprised that l was re-
corded as voting so many times. line
record is a good one, even as tney
state it. AS everybody knows, 1t mas
been a custom in congress from time
immemorial for members to pair Win
each other. When member is
Obliged to be absent, for illness or for
any other reason, he gets member
of the opposite party to pair with
him. and then neither will vote until
the absent member returns and the
pair is broken. This is a courtesy
that all members Of congress extend
to each other. l have had to be away
from the house occasionally, while II
was in session, on account OF illness
of myself or members OF my FANNY,
or on public business, and have Lear
ly always been paired. l have been IN
the house a great many times Wnen a
vote was taken, and have refralned
from voting, because 1 was paired
with some absent member. The pairs
are shown in the Congressional Rec
ord, but not in the journal OF the
house. If Dominick and mis- hench-N
man, Baker, had wanted to- be fair
they would have quoted iron the rec
ord. and not from the journal, and
would have told the truth about the
pairs.
The Craftsmanship.
1t is charged that was not MADE
chairman of the committee on the
District of Columbia, in spite OF
seniority, because 1 had been neglect
full of duty in attending the commit
tee meetings and was not equal to the
work. At the beginning OF the sixty,
second congress it was up to me to
take this cnairmanship, being the
ranking member OF the committee,
but I did not care for it. l knew 1t
meant a great deal of thankless work,
and that it might interfere with my
duty to my own district and keep nae
from giving it the close attention
which it has been my pride to give it.
Representative Ben Johnson, Of Ken
lucky, was next to me on the commit
tee, and was at that time prospec-
tive candidate for governor OF MS
State. He was very keen to get the
chairmanship, for the reason that ne
thought it would help him in his race
for governor. did not know great
deal about Johnson, but had regard
ed him as my friend, and was quite
willing to unload the chairmanship on
him. He seemed very grateful, and
was profuse in his thanks. He offered
to do anything in the world for me,
and l asked him to appoint my OLD
friend Doc Owens, Confederate
veteran, who now lives at Greenwood
| but who once lived at Anderson, as
messenger of the committee. This IS
position that is not hard to I'LL, and
pays some 81, 100 or $1,000 year, and
it would have been godsend to Mr..
Owens in his declining years. Mr.
Johnson did not keep his promise as
! to appointing Mr.. Owens, and ne did
not act fairly in other matters, ana
1 quit attending the committee meet
o~o ca when a man