Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-05-19
NEWLANDs CALLED DOWN
FOR CRITICIS|NG HARRIS
.HardwiCk Says Federal Trade
Commissioner Had Right
to Attend Convention
By RALPH SMITH.


WASHINGTON, May iS.-The recent
state convention of the Georgia Demo-
Gratis at Macon was the subject of an
interesting colloquy in the Cnlteu
States senate this moEning, as the re
suit of an innocent little interview thac
Crawford Wheatley, of Americas, re-
Gently gave TO the Washington Post. MI
Wheatley paid a graceful compliment TO
William j. Harris. the federal trade
commissioner. in the following IAN
guage:
William j. Harris of the federal
trade commission is the dominant power
now i'm Georgia politics.
AT the recent state convention i'm Ma
con. the name of Mr.. Harris, who was
on the ground to look after the admin
istration's interest, elected almost as
much applause as the president. He
was the only person asked to address,
the convention, although both Senator
Thomas w Harwick and Governor Nat
Harris were present. AS a further marx
Of confidence the slate of delegates to
the national convention which he APP
proved was elected. Mr.. Harris and
the president were both indorsed by the
convention.
"Tne sentiment expressed at the Ma
con convention shows that the people of
the state are Overwhelmingly back or
the president Harmony prevails in
Georgia and both the former supporters
Of Underwood and Wilson were recog-
nized i'm the appointment of delegates
10 st. Louis.
NEWLANDS ATTACKS HARRIS.
The foregoing interview appeared sew
eral days ago upon the occasion of Mr.
Wheatley's visit to Washington. To-
CAV Senator Newlands, of Nevada, chair
man of the interstate commerce COM
mittee of the senate and father of the
trade commission, arose in his place and
had the interview read to the senate
from the clerks desk.
Senator Newlands proceeded to criti-
else Mr.. Harris for his participation
in the convention.
II called attention to this newspaper
clipping without consultation with the
Georgia senator's said Mr. Newlands,
for the reason that, if true, | wish to
empha size the improperly Of a men,
Der of the trade commission attending
and attempting to influence a political
convention The trade commission is
supposed to be non-partisan, and is,
therefore, a bipartisan body. The con-
fdence of the country depends upon its
maintenance of this character. AL
though the members are not denied
their political conviction, manifestly
they should not be active in political
organizations. cannot believe that
Mr.. Harris whom L know and respect,
had this participation in the formation
and development of a political conven-
ton in Georgia. [ hope the senator's
from Georgia will be able to deny this
statement"
Senator Hardwick. who had sought
several times to interrupt the NeVadan,
was recognized. He said:
Since the senator from Nevada has
had the newspaper clipping read from
the desk, | think in justice to Mr.. Har-
ris, | ought to say that, in my judg-
ment. the statements in the article are
i'm the main incorrect and Inaccurate
If is true that Mr. Harris was in at
tendance upon the convention, but If he
had anything whatever to do with the
selection of delegates more than hun
dred other leading Democrats from al
most as many Georgia counties | am
not advised of that fact.
CONVENTION HARMONIOUS.
81 think l can say for the informa-
ton of the senator from Nevada that
this convention was very harmonious.
There was no conflict between Mr.. Hair
ris and the senators from Georgia or
ANYBODY else. Every one of the dele
gates was unanimously elected and the
platform was adopted without dis
senting vote. | do not believe Mr.. Har-
ris had anything to do with the selec-
ton of the delegates except that ne
NAV have agreed with other gentlemen
that the delegates selected were salts
factory He was not invited to address
the convention.
THE chairman of the convention with