The Washington herald., 1914-04-20
MANurAcruREp SENTIMENT.
Man sInterviewed" on Tolls Not
Here since Civil War.

"eEC StaCr SANh
The washington Herald has received
communication from Ovid Bell. presi-
dent and manager Of the Fulton Gazette.
Fulton, Mo-. inciosing the following from
the Washington Post of March 81.
Some persons might get the wrong i'm
preston about the sentiment In Champ
Clark's Congressional district on this
! tolls fight by reading a telegram from
Ovid Bell, the editor of the Fulton
Gazette, printed In Washington papeT,
Bowling Green, at the Raleigh. This
telegram. erroneously dated Mexico, Mo-,
indicated that the people of Galloway
County are not behind the Speaker In
his position on tolls. The fact is that
they are almost solidly supporting him.
Editor Bell is not numbered among his
supporters, because Mr.. Bell wants to
he appointed postmaster of Fulton imme-
| diately, when the term OF the present
postmaster does not expire for three
years. / understand that the Speaker
declined to recommend that the incum-
bent be turned out before his term ex-
pired and Mr.. Bell appointed-hence the
editors pique.''
Mr.. Adams, who is a prominent citi-
zen of Bowling Green, served with for
mer Senator Cockrell in the Confederate
army, and was with Gen. Cockrell when
! Vicksburg surrendered, at which time
he had to subsist on mule meat.
II do not hesitate TO say that Speaker
Clark is the most popular citizen of Mis-
souri, today. Notwithstanding the posi-
| tion taken by other members Of the
House. the people are back of the Speaker
in his patriotic stand against the sur
render of the American nation TO Great
Britain. There can be no mistaking the
| attitude of the Missourisns. That was
indicated by the mass meeting in st.
Louis, which, called to condemn Repre-
| sentative Igoe and Speaker Clark. turned
around and ipdorsed them and condemned
| the other members of the Missouri dele
CATION"
In his letter to The Washington Herald
Ovid Bell says:
Il wrote to a friend of mine who lives
In Bowling Green. Mo, whose name is
Adams and asked him about Joseph w.
Adams. the person alleged to have given
out the interview. received a letter
from him promptly and from 1t l quote
the following: Joseph w. Adams, of
Bowling Green. Mo- is my father. He
hasn't been in Washington since the
civil war and never gave out an inter
view in his life.
Concerning the postmastership Mr.. Bell
writes
THE fact OF the matter is | have never
asker Speaker Clark or any one else TO
have the present postmaster in Fulton
removed. Writing to Speaker Clark on
November L. 1872. | said: When the
time comes for a Democrat to have the
Fulton postoffice. ] would like To be
the appointee. provided you can give me
the place without embarrassment to
yourself In the same letter ! also said:
The time of the present postmaster does
not expire until June, 1915 He is a good
official and a clever gentleman, and /
have no disposition to urge his removal
before the end of his four years
In the letter which I have just quoted
laid particular stress on the fact that
desire its contents retained con-
fidmtial. Later on Speaker Clark wrote
Fulton gentleman that | wanted the
postoffice. disregarding my request. and
wrote him on April IS. 1918. as follows:
Please allow me to withdraw my name
for consideration as an applicant for
the pastmastership in Fulton
As for the sentiment OF the people of
this county on canal tolls after my tele-
gram was published in Washington. a
member of Speaker Clark's official family
telegraphed a gentleman in Fulton TO
know the facts concerning sentiment
here. The gentleman who received the
telegram interviewed nifty representative
Democrats. including nearly all Of the
city and county officials. and then re-
piled that forty-seven of them stood with
the President and three with the Speaker.
I happen to know that one OF these three
men has Speaker CIark's Endorsement
for a United States marshalship, and
am informed that another Of the trio is
an applicant for the Fulton postoffice.
think the canvass made by the Speakers
friend shows pretty clearly that did not
misrepresent local sentiment in my mes
sage"
In conclusion Mr.. Bell writes:
Fifteen years ago l was private sec
retary to the late Representative Rich
ard Parks Bland. After his death
worked several months as a cub re-
porter in the Washington bureau OF the
Philadelphia North American. Since
that time / have been secretary of the
State Democratic Committee of Missouri
and president of the Missouri Press As
socation. Naturally | have a good many
aCquaintanCes in Washington and the al
legged interview will do me an injury in
their minds. All of my kinspeople are
VIrginians and they. too. would be misled
by the article"