Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-06-17
Has Overlooked No Opportu-
nifty to Serve People of
State During Term in Of
flee, Says Georgia Senior
Senator

WASHINGTON, d. c., June IA
Recalling the various constructive
measures which he has either origi-
mated or vigorously supported, Unit
ed States Senator William j. Harris.
in a statement accompanying the
announcement of his candidacy for
reelection subject to the Democratic
primary this fall, points out that he
has overlooked no opportunity to
serve the people of Georgia, his ma
| tive state.
The senator declares that despite
the Republican majorities in the
house and senate. he has been able
| to accomplish substantial results for
! his constituents.
His statement follows:
ITO the people of Georgia.:
Six years ago you did me the
| honor Of electing me to the United
| States senate. In announcing as
| candidate for reelection to this high
| office it seems appropriate that I
| should call attention to some of the
things L have been able to do in
spite of the fact that the Republi-
cans have had substantial MAORI
| ties in both the senate and house.
|
my record Of accom- plishments,
which l hope has merited your ap-
prevail.
Realizing that our farmers, la
borers, manufacturers and mer-
chants were in need of substantial
assistance, I have spent my time Ia
boring for them in q constructive
way, rather than making partisan
| political speeches. I have worked
| in harmony with my colleagues in
| the senate and have had the cor
dial support of the Georgia members
| of congress in all that I have ac-
| complished for our people. While
/ have interested myself in all gen.
| eral legislation [ have allowed moth
| ing to prevent me from giving spe-
cial attention to matters, large and
small, that would in any way help
the people of Georgia.
'It is well known that nearly all
legislation is framed in committees,
and I am fortunate in being next to
| the ranking Democrat on the COM
m1ttee on appropriations, the most
| important Of all communities. No 9TH
| er legislative committee in the world
controls appropriations for such
| large amounts. [ am also the only
| member from the southeast on the
subcommittee Of eight members
each that handle all appropriations
for agriculture, commerce, good
| roads, postoffices, rural routes, riv.
ers and harbors, military posts, hos.
| pitfalls, labor and interior depart.
| ments, in which the people of Geor-
/ gia are vitality interested.
AT the time of my nomination
| and election in 1918 our brave boys
were fighting in the greatest and
| most destructive war of all history.
| While they, in cooperation with our
| allies, were slowly but surely driv-
| ing back the Germans, thousands of
the flower Of young manhood were
| daily sacrificing their lives for our
| country and humanity. I promised
you then that I would do everything
IN my power to help win the war
and get the boys back home. 1 went
to France when the war closed, at
my own expense, to see about the
health and comfort of the Georgia sol
dlers and there arranged for many
OF them to come home before the
| soldiers Of other states. [ was the
| only senator to do this. 1t has been
| my privilege to render assistance to
| since demobiliza ton. I also helped
to amend a bill SO that one of the
five big hospitals could be located
| in Augusta, Ga.
L have supported woman suffrage
and prohibition and have at all times
! been on the moral side Of every pub
lie question.
On immigration Question
No senator has taken deeper in.
terest in the matter of immigration.
During my first year in the senate
| | introduced a bill prohibiting all
| immigration for at least five years,
and have consistently urged the pas
| sage of such mea sure, both in the
committee on immigration of which
L am member, and on the floor of
| the senate. While I failed in nv eff.
forts to stop altogether the flow Of
foreigners to our shores, I was hon
ored by being designated as one of
the five conferees from the senate to
meet with the five house members
and took an active part in framing
the new immigration law, which is
by far the best the congress has ever
| passed.
After the war came reconstruct
ton with the terrible financial crisis
to the farmers. upon whom all our
people must depend for prosperity
| am member of the farm bloc and
am confident the record will show
that no senator has worked harder
or accomplished more for the farmer
than L have during the last five
years.
Among the measures for the ben
eft of the farmer that l originated
or actively supported. and have been
largely instrumental in passing, may
be mentioned the following:
stopping the discrimination
against Georgia hog raisers by the
meat packers trust. which controls
the price Of hogs. Four years of in
J vestigation by the AGRICULTURAL de-
partment, at my urgent request, has
proved the injustice of the claim by
the packers that Georgia raised hos
meat was inferior because peanut
fed hogs were soft and oily. My
work in this line saves Georgia hog
raisers millions annually.
Amending the law so that Geor-
gia farm products could be stored in
federal licensed warehouses, of which
there are over two hundred in Geor-
gla, and thus secure cheaper interest
and insurance rates.
Changing government reports of
estimates of cotton acreage, amount
ginned, etc. to prevent Wall street
gamblers specializing in cotton.
"Persuading President Wilson not
to fix the price of cotton, which later
sold as high as forty-five cents
Northern and western senators urged
him to fix the price at fifteen cents
a pound. which would have meant a
loss of millions to Georgia farmers.
Including calcium arsenate in the
bin which passed the senate last
year appropriating ten million dol