The Newport plain talk. (Newport, Tenn.) 1909-1939, 1914-01-15
PICTURE STRIFE BETWEEN
GOV. HOOPER AND SELLS
Chattanooga Times Recently Carried Lengthy Article In
Which 1t Could See All Kinds of Scrap In the First Dis
ct Between the Hooper and Sells Forces and Stated That
Elimination of Sells Was Only Thing for the Party.

The Chattanooga Times recent
ly had the following in reference
to First District Politics. The
Story is sent out from Greeneville
and would convey the impression
that Governor Hooper is trying to
bring about harmony in the First
District, even though it sacrifices
his friend Sam Sells. The Times
though, is not friend of either
the governor nor Congressman
Sells, and it is not surprising that
The Times should desire to stir
up strife. The Times sees all OF
Hoopers friends out on the war
path against Sells and that the
Hooper people will eliminate Sells
and send George Taylor to Con-
gress. If Hooper's friends had
their knives out for Sells it would
probably be felt here in Cooke
county, but we have not heard of
any of Sells former friends going
after him. George Taylor is a
mighty nice young man, but he is
not going to spoil his political
future by jumping into the first
district fight and lining up with
Sells enemies, and instead he will
be found doing all within his pow
er to give strength for Sells in
Greene County, unless We miss
our guess. In view of its absurd
ity, The Times article is repro
duced herewith:
Greeneville, Tenn, JAM To-
This land of political feuds and &C
tions is promised another resound-
ing clash of rival ambitions in the
biennial war now beginning be-
tween the BroWnlow and anti
Brownlow clans, last year known
as the progressives and the stand
patters, but this year destined, il
seems, to be termed the Hooperites
and the Sellites.
The efforts of Gov. Hooper and
his administration to harmonic
the warning factions, started at
the Bulls Gap meeting OF the anti
Sells committe, have not been
successful so far. In fact. it ap-
pears conditions have been made
worse. This committee is headed
by Col. A. L. Shipley, member OF
Gov. Hooper's Staff. 1t is said
that the astute governor has
reached the conclusion that har-
mony in this district is impossible
until Sells is eliminated as candi-
date for congress, and that the
old Brownlow guard will not af.
filiate with the state administra-
(, ton if Sells is carried longer by
Hooper. The Governor, it ap-
pears, made them believe in the
last election that he would be
hands off in the fight against
Sells; then, in the closing days Of
the election, he came to Sells re-
lief and saved him from defeat by
a scratch, and it is said, the elec.
ton machinery finally had to be
put in action to rescue Sells. This
would have been exposed in an
election contest that Sells op.
ponent, DR.. z. D. Massey had in.
= stituted, but the governor ap.
pointed the doctor to a lucrative
Job and the contest was dropped
This may have appeased DR.
Massey, but according to all in.
dications apparent, it did not salts.
fy the "old guard" If Sell is ir
the race for congress, members ol
the "old guard" says it will be &
double header" just as sure as
the tides of November come.
No one, it appears, knows this
better than Gov. B. w. Hooper
and to hts knowledge of this con
dition is attributed the harmony
plan. To this impending feud is