The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-04-02
BLACKMON CHARGES
 AbERCROMb|E IS NOT. FAIR IN HIS CRITICISM
Says He Has Been Absent From Congress at a Very Important
 Period

Washington, April 1. -(Speeial)-As result of criticism on the part of Repre- sentative Ahercrembe, made during the latters tour of the Fourth district, Rep resentative Blackmon, who has been lon the iob during the recent period of inn portant legislation, issued the following letter today, addressed to the editor of the Anniston Evening Star:
 q notice an interview given out by pr. John w. Abercrombie, and carried in your paper of Sunday, March 26 I shall not refer to the doctors claim as to the counties he will carry in the district, but there is one statement in the article, that, in my judgment, is unworthy of a man protesting in his announcement an intention to conduct clean fight The statement to which refer is this:
 The studiediy unfair criticisms of The Age-Herald will not deter me from looking after my campaign when l am not needed in Washington, and I predict that my colleague and opponent in whose special interest those criticisms are made, will, if physically able to do so, return to Alabama before May g.
 "Dr. Abercrombie gave out the state ment that he took advantage of lull in proceedings at Washington to go to Alabama. During his absence the civil war claims bill came up for a vote in the House. I was physically able to be on the floor of the House, and made a speech in favor of the measure. The bill as reported by the committee undertook to remove the limitation as to time for filing claims and the necessity of proving loyalty to the union, in order to recover for cotton, live stock and other property destroyed and confscated during the civil war We lost this bill by 13 votes. There were IA southern representatives absent, among them Dr. Abercrombie. Had these gentlemen been present we could have passed the bill as reported by the commit tee. I am not sure of the exact amount, but it is my opinion that there would have been available for the Fourth Con- gressional district some $2, GOO 600 or $3, O0O- 600, and for the entire south something like $60,O00000. This money is in the treas ury of the United States, and the south ern people are entitled to it. but they cannot get it because they will not prove loyalty to the union at the time the prop erty was taken.
 T was present and voted on all ques- tions involving the Presidents programme for military preparedness, and particu- larly the proposition for the establish ment of a government plant for the man. ufacture of atmospheric nitrogen. The re- publicans voted almost as a unit against the proposition, largely because it was
 
 Alabama, as the hearings before the com mittee showed that Alabama had the best location and the greatest water power for such a project of any state in the union. My physical condition was good enough to permit me to be present and vote for this measure. The bill was defeated by a practically solid republican vote, a few dissenting democratic votes and some ab- sentees. pr. Abercrombie was one of the absentees.
 "The bill was intended not only to fur nish the government with sufficient pow CT to manufacture ammunition, but also to furnish cheap fertilizer to the farmers of the south and west. It Is a well-knoWn fact that there are only two sources from which nitrogen is obtained, one from the deserts of Chile and the other from the air, by the process known as the fixa- tion of atmospheric nitrogen. There is ait present no such plant in the United States and the only one on the American con- tinent is located on the Canadian side of Niagara Falls. Dr. Abercrombie may not regard proposition of this kind as inn portant. but do, and imagine the farm CTS who are interested in cheap fertilizer will feel the same way.
 During the doctors absence the Pres ident requested Congress to give him au- thority to build up the army to it's full statutory strength, by adding 10000 men, on account of the Mexican situation, This bill came up for a.vote in the House and Dr, Abercrombie was not here. A num- Der of other important matters were up and disposed of, and yet pr. Abererombie says that he took advantage of 1ull in proceedings at Washington to spend sometime in the district campaigning.
 NO one can deny that I have been here all the time since the converting of Congress, and have aided in the passage of the legislation that has been enacted
 T should have ignored Dr. Abercrom- bie's article in your paper, but for the un- just, unfair and uncalled for reference to my physical condition. Yours very truly,
 FIRED L. BLACKMON."