Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1899-04-28

Sims secured the passage of four
private bills for the benefit of his
constituents, each carrying a
charge on the treasury and being
considered in committee of the
whole, rendering their enactment
more difficult than that of ordinary
private bills, which are taken up
usually by unanimous consent and
acted on by the House without
consideration by the committee of
the whole Itcan thus be seen that
Mr.. Sims secured the passage of
double the average number Of
private bills to the member.
While more than s5,0O0,000 had
been appropriated and expended
on the improvements of the Ten
nessee river above Riverton, Ala,
only 100000 had by preceding
Congresses been appropriated fer
the Improvement of the Tennes.
see river from Riverton to the
mouth, at Paducah. This part of
the river is 226 miles long and has
a commerce exceeding that OF the
remainder of the river and its trib-
utaries combined. When Mr.. Sims
was first elected, he determined
that the injustice with which the
lower Tennessee had been treated
in the past must end, and at once
began to work for a liberal appro-
priation for that part of the stream,
aad so persistent and successful
were his efforts before the Rivers
and Harbors Committee that he
succeeded in having an apprOpri-
alton of 100000 carried in the
house bill to be used exclusively
in the Improvement of the Tennes.
see, from Riverton to the mouth,
while the house bill as reported
carried only $4,000 for the entire
river above Riverton, although
the upper part Of the stream was
represented by large and infuen.
tial delegations from Knoxville,
Chattanooga and Sheffield. No
higher compliment to the ability
and energy of Mr.. Sims can be
paid than the mere statement of
these facts.
Hon. Jas. d, Richardson, who
has served on the committee of
the District of Columbia for many
years, has been advanced to the
committee on Ways and Means,
and Rules, taking the places made
vacant by the retirement of Hon.
Benton McMillin, and Mr.. Sims
has been selected for the vacancy
in the District of Columbia Com.
mittee, so we are informed. When
it is remembered that Senator
Harris was for many years a mem.
|ber Of this committee and that Mr.
Richardson, who is now the rec0g'
nized Democratic leader in the
House, has served for many years
on the same committee, the i'm
portance of the committee will be
realized, and the high compliment
paid Mr.. Sims in thus being the
successor of Mr.. Richardson will
be duly appreciated by his friends
While Mr.. Sims has bitterly OPP
posed the present Reed Rulcs Of
the House, he was the only Demo
crat called to the chair by Speaker
Reed during the third session OF
the last Congress. This is an
honor rarely paid new member
of the minority, and shows the
high esteem in which Mr.. Sims is
held by the Speaker.
In his service as a member Of
Congress Mr.. Sims has shown thai
energy and application to hi;
public duties that characterized
him in private life. He has looked
as closely to the interests of hit
constituents as he might in serv
ing his own private and persona
ends. His private life in our gay
capital is noted for scrupulous OBJ
servance of the strictest morals
This is a brief and simple state
ment of the record made by Con
gresham Sims, in making which
The fondest hope of his many
f,;aods hnya ham rnoliznd paril