The Greeneville daily sun. (Greeneville, Tenn.) 1918-1920, 1918-07-11
Johnson City, Tenn.
M nao~ M Waa70hfs

period bDdL MI. p6llS HtiS DGSll uDoSlAb
from three meetings since 1918. One
of these absences was caused by the
illness of his wife and upon the other
two occasions he was absent from the
city in the discharge of official bust
ness. In fact Mr.. Sells attendance
upon committee meetings has been ex-
ceptional-no member of the commit
tee having a record which equals same,
No Member Works Harder
In view of the foregoing statement,
based upon the records of the commit
tee, any report which charges Mr..
Sells with absenteeism from the meet
ings of this committee is wholly with
out foundation upon which to rest. II
I may be permitted to so state, | per-
sonally know that no member of this
committee is better posted as to the
intricacies of the Federal Pension laws
nor a better Judge of the merits of a
pension case than Mr.. Sells. He is
upon the subcommittee which consid-
ers cases from Indiana, Illinois, Iowa,
Minnesota, Nebraska, Wisconsin, Ken
lucky and Virginia. This sub-com-
mittee is perhaps called upon to on
slider more cases than any other sub
committee which involves laborious
work upon the part of its members.
No member of this subcommittee
works harder than Mr.. Sells and at the
end of each session, due to this con-
slant attendance upon the committee
meetings and hard personal work OF
Mr.. Sells and his colleagues every sim
gle case coming before them is con-
idered and disposed of and this is only
done after each case has received care
full consideration of the evidence pre-
sented by same. Finally | might say
that the fidelity upon the part of Mr..
Sells in regard to the discharge of
his duties as a member of the commit
tee, coupled with his pleasing person
atty, has made him always popular
with mis- colleagues and of great as
sistance to the committee in the dis
charge of the duties coming before it,
and in the conducting of the bills voted
out of the committee on the floor of
the house.
Very respectfully,
(Signed) VIM. MCKINLEY COBB.
Examiner and Assistant Clerk.
Finally in a reorganization of the
Republican members of congress dur
ing the present congress, Sells was
chosen party whip for the states of
Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia,
Maryland and Kentucky, received the
votes of every Republican member
from these states, Austin not voting. |
Inasmuch as one of the principal du-
ties Of party whip is to secure at
tendance of members, it appears ex-
traordinarily strange that member,
who, as Harmon says, is never present |
should have been chosenl And it also
answers most effectively his like I'M
reasonable charge that Sells is not on
friendly terms with his associates.
Looks to Interest of Constituents
Harmon fails to tell the people that |
Sells has done one thing, which but
few congressman do, and that is that |
he keeps his office in Washington
open daily. whether congress is in SEES
sion or not, and any resident of the
district who has had official business
in Washington knows that this is true.
Since the outbreak of the war he has
employed additional help to take care
of the enormous business in the vol
ume of official correspondence. He
has secured many positions for his
constituents both in the army and in
the departments at Washington. He
has looked after their interests I'M
remittingly, as hundreds of them win
testify.
Harmon charges that Austin has
done more for his constituents. and
refers to public buildings secured for
his district. Austin, believe, secured
appropriations for one or two buiId-
ings before Sells became a member
Of congress. Since that time but one
omnibus public buildings bill has been
enacted into law, and it contained au-
thorlzatlons for two buildings in the
second district and two postoffice sites
IN the first. An omnibus bill passed
he house during the Gath congress
authorizing the purchase of two sites
IN the second and the construction of
one building in the first, but this bin
failed in the senate. Since Sells has
been in congress only one omnibus
buildings bill has been enacted into
aw-that containing the appropriation
for the two sites in this district.
l am not ready to admit in times
ike these when the life of the nation
is at stake and all of our resources are
needed for war purposes that grabbing
pork barrel appropriations is the prom
ar measure of craftsmanship, as Har-
mon seems to think But apply this
test to Sells and it will show that, out
side of river appropriations, more fed
sral money has been spent in his dis
trict since he has been a member NJ
congress than in any other district in
the state, whether represented by a
Republican or Democrat. And with
one exception, he is in point of SER
vice the youngest representative from
this state.
Cost of Nitrates
Harmon charges that Sells voted
against the nitrate plant bill. and
claims this was in the interest of
the farmers. Here again he is denselv
ignorant or Intentionally tries to de-.
,eive. Practically all the Republicans
in the house opposed this bill. Gov
eminent operation of such utilities has
ever been advocated by the Republican
party. But the statement that such
4 plant will ever be operated in the
interest of the farmer is absurd. The
only natural supply Of nitrate is in
Chill. This costs approximately sS0.0 DOL
Der ten and no farmer raising ordi-
nary farm crops can purchase and use
It profitably The cost of producing
nitrate by artificial manufacture Is
fixed at minimum of $4,000 per
Ton, which makes it absolutely pro-
hibitive for all farm PURPOSES. n