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

account of the services of Hon. Il.
w. Sims in the 55th Congress, be-
lieving that his constituents have
the right to know the character
and extent of the labor performed
by their representative, and having
followed his course closely, we are
able to vouch for the following
record:
Mr.. Sims was a new member in
the 55th Congress, and had no
previous legislative experience,
while many of his colleagues,
though beginning their first term
in congress, were prepared by
service in the Legislatures of their
respective States.
The Congress was called in extra
ordinary session on March 10, 1897,
and remained in session until July
"a following, but as no COMMITTEES,
except those of the Ways and
Means, and Rules, were appointed,
nothing was accomplished save the
passage of the Dingley bill, the
House, under special rule, meeting
and Immediately adjourning every
three days.
The first regular session con-
vened December 6, 1897, when
Mr.. Sims was made a member of
the committee on Pensions and on
Labor, but, being new member,
he was not assigned to ranking
position on the minority side on
either committee, there being
members on his side with as much
as six years prior service in con.
gress, Notwithstanding, Mr.. Sims,
by his ability and close attention
to duty, soon became the recog.
nized leader of the Democrats of
the pension committee and boldly
fought all eXtravagant pension leg
islation, defeating several bills that
were virtually civilian pensions.
His leadership of the minority in
this committee was recognized by
the chairman and Speaker Reed,
as he was the only Democratic
member appointed on the confer
ence committees, having charge of
the bill seeming from this commit
tee.
AS member of the committee
on Labor he took an active part
in pushing the eight.hour bill,
both before the committee and the
House, to its passage, without
amendment. A bill was INTRO.
duced by Congressman Cochrane,
of New York, and referred to the
committee on Labor, prohibiting
the shipment or sale of any goods,
wares or merchandise made by
convict labor, in any State other
than that of manufacture. While
Mr.. Sims is in full sympathy with
all legislation looking to the bene.
fit and betterment of the laboring
classes, and is in favor of prevent.
ing the competition of convicts
with free labor as much as posi-.
bic, he felt compelled to oppose
the Cochrane bill because of the
condition prevailing in Tennessee,
a large number Of the convicts in
our State prison being engaged in
the manufacture of various articles
which find sale outside the State,
knowing that the enactment OF
such a law would only add to the
burden of the tax payer of Tennes'
see. By his individual efforts Mr.
Sims succeeded in getting all
amendment to the bill, while in
committee, exempting unmanu'
; featured minerals and farm pro
ducts from the operation Of the
proposed law so that the ship
ment and sale of coal from the
mines owned by the State, and
worked with convict labor, might
not be prohibited. AS thus am
ended, the bill was reported to
the House for passage, but Mr.
Sims continued his opposition, and
by judicious management finally
prevented its enactment. Such q
law may be enacted by the next
Congress, but our State prison
commissioners will have time to
prepare for the operation of such
law in way that will prevent
the great loss that would have
been the result Of the passage Of
the Cochrane bill by the last Con
gress.
The last congress passed GSl
private house bills, and there are
357 members, making the average