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Thomas M. Bell (Georgia politician)

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Thomas Montgomery Bell
House Majority Whip
In office
1913–1915
Preceded byJohn Wilbur Dwight
Succeeded byHarold Knutson
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Georgia's 9th district
In office
March 4, 1905 – March 3, 1931
Preceded byFarish Carter Tate
Succeeded byJohn Stephens Wood
Personal details
Born(1861-03-17)March 17, 1861
near Cleveland, Georgia
DiedMarch 18, 1941(1941-03-18) (aged 80)
Gainesville, Georgia
Political partyDemocratic

Thomas Montgomery Bell (March 17, 1861 – March 18, 1941) was an American politician who served as House majority whip from 1913 to 1915.

Bell was born in Nacoochee Valley, near Cleveland, Georgia. He graduated from Moore's Business University at Atlanta, then taught public school in Cleveland from 1878 to 1879. He then worked as a traveling salesman for several years. He served as clerk of the superior court of Hall County, Georgia from 1898 to 1904, then was elected as a congress member in the Democratic Party of the United States, serving from March 4, 1905, to March 3, 1931. He served as majority whip from 1913 to 1915. In 1922, he was a prominent voice of racist opposition to anti-lynching legislation, arguing that political equality for African Americans is "something that would never be tolerated and should never be advocated by anyone."[1] After an unsuccessful renomination in 1930, he returned to the private sector and died in Gainesville, Georgia.

References

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  1. ^ "The Dyer Bill: Anti-Lynching Legislation Debated in Congress • The Congressional Digest, 1922 •". Old Magazine Articles. Retrieved October 23, 2019.
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U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Georgia's 9th congressional district

March 4, 1905 – March 3, 1931
Succeeded by
Party political offices
Preceded by
John Wilbur Dwight (R-NY) (No majority (Democratic) whip 1911–1913; Dwight was Majority whip 1909–1911)
House Majority Whip
1913–1915
Succeeded by
Harold Knutson (R-MN) (No majority (Democratic) whip 1915–1919; Knutson was whip 1919–1923)
Preceded by
James Tilghman Lloyd (MO) (The Democrats had no whip 1909–1913; Lloyd served 1901–1908)
House Democratic Whip
1913–1915
Succeeded by
William Allan Oldfield (AR) (The Democrats had no whip 1915–1921; Oldfield served 1921–1928)