The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1914-10-22
COX AND
LYLE SPEAK At
ELIZABETHT0N

/
candidates for congress spoke her
this afternoon before large audienc
at the Airdome. Congressman San
R. Sells and General ]. B. Cox, repub
lican candidates, had a joint debate
while Hon, Cy H. Lyle, of johnson
City, followed them as a democrati,
candidate.
Congressman Sells made the frs
speech, il being his opening speech o
the campaign. He was followed b!
General Cox, after which Sells mad,
rejoil,der of fifteen minutes.
/ ! Congressman Sells was introduced
| by w. I; Allen. He reviewed his rec
ord in congress and talked at length
on the Appalachian forest reserve. HI
said that this had been his chief work
in congress. He said that he had as,
surances that many thousands Of
acres in the first district would be
purchased and added TO the property
already taken over for the reserve
He said that he had introduced a bill
in congress, which had the approval
of the secretary of agriculture, the
forestry department and a majority
of the members of the House commit
tee on agriculture, carrying larger ap-
preparations for this work. He read
a lattar from tho oIarL of tba nonciop
committee showing that he had been
one of the most jealous workers for
pension bills. He said that he was the
author of important pension legisla-
tion passed by important pension leg
islation passed by congress. He said
that his opponents were unjustly and
unfairly interpreting a speech he made
at Bristol few weeks ago, as a dec
laration against pension appropria-
tions. He said that he was the only
republican candidate and read tele-
gram from the national republican
executive committee declaring him to
be the regular republican nominee.
He said that General Cox had declared
for harmony primary but had refus-
ed to have one.
General Cox Speaks.
General Cox was introduced by A.
,. Hughes, of Johnson City, who de-
,lared that the former was one of the
cleanest men in the state of Tennes-
see Christian gentleman and in
very way fit to represent the district
in congress.
General Cox said that he was the
.'epublican nominee-that he was
dominated by convention attended
~ 500 people and that Mr.. Sells got
his nomination from the minority of
committee, in session In private
Office in Greeneyille. He said that
the Sells organization and its birth in
>loodshed at Greeneville two years
ago, when a thousand Sells henchmen
mobbed the convention and assaulted
Col. A. B. Bowman. He said that he
efused to appeal his claims to COM
mittee at Washington, but appealed to
the people of the district, wha had the
to settle their own affairs.
General Cox presented a record of
Mr.. Sells votes in congress which he
said was official and which he said
had been furnished him by South
Trimbell, clerk of the House of Rep
He charged that Sells
was absent and not voting on some of
the most important measures before
congress and that he had accomplish
ed nothing. He referred to the i'm
mense appropriations secured by the
late Congressman Brownlow and ask
ed where was the money Mr.. Sells had
brought to the district. He talked at
length on his temperance, record,
which he said began years ago. He
said that he had sacredly kept a
pledge made in Bristol as a child, be-
fore the late Joseph r. Anderson,
when he promised not to taste the un-
clean stuff. He said that his entire
life had been devoted to fighting for
Referring to Mr.. Sells
statement to the effect that he (Sells)
had supported ten of the eleven planks
Of his General Cox's) platform, he
said Sells had failed to get them pass
I'd and the people needed a congress-
nan who could get things done.
General Cox paid a tribute to the |
ladies' and at the close of his speech |
/ little girl presented him with bou-
luet of roses.
Sells Makes RejOinder.
In his rejoinder Congressman Sells
-ead letter from South Trimbell,
clerk of the House of Representatives.
lenying that he had given General
Cox or any one else a statement Of hi-
(SellsD record, showing how many
lines he had failed to answer roll call.
lie declared that the record was
fraudulent and General Cox obtained
t from democratic headquarters at
where a bureau was es- |