The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1900-09-27
MIR. SIMMONS DENIAL.

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is being charged against me, as an as
pirant for the Senate,
First, that Senator Vance opposed
nv confirmation as Collector upon
grounds derogatory to my persona
character.
- Second, that am charged with be
ing a secret agent of the Southern
Railway Company, and that 1t ana
other corporations have been, and are
now, paying me lar.c..e sums OF money
to protect their Interests as LOBBYIST
and otherwise, and you express the
opinion, in which [ concur, that as
am candidate for their suffrage, the
people are entitled to know the facts
with reference to these charges.
In reply, 1 beg to say that Senator
Vance's opposition to my confirmation
was not based upon personal grounds
and no charge against my personal
character was made in connection With
that matter. at the time OF my ap-
no,ntmeus as Collector, Senator Vance,
together witt, the other Senator and
all the democratic congressman from
North Carolina, favored me. The sub
seoue.it opposition OF Senator Vance TO
nv confirmation arose out OF compE-
cations connected with the appoint
ment of the Collector for the Western
District of North Carolina. The re-
cords of the Senate and the delegation
In Congress from this State at that
time will bear out these statements.
With reference to the second charge
to which you refer, I beg to say that
it is not true that am attorney or
agent, either secret or otherwise, OF the
Southern Railroad. i have never ap-
peared for that railroad III any capac-
lty. 1t has meyer paid me cent OF
money In my life, except contrlbu
tion made to me as Chairman OF the
Committee in 1888, which was spent
for the benefit of the party. On the
contrary, have appeared and am ap
pearlng against it In many suits
During the last three years, since
commenced to practice law in Raleigh
I have been OF counsel in recovering I
number of judgments against it, ont
of them for as much as slxty-three hun
dred dollars, and now appear OF coun
eel in quite number OF cases asalns
it in the lax assessment cases.
1t Is not true that am, or have
any time been, Il secret lobbyist, no
that have at any time been in re
ceipt of any personal income from an
source whatever except such as come
legitimately to any Moth Carolin
lawyer enjoying moderate practice
1 neither lobbied in the last Leg!sl;
ture. nor discussed with its member
subjects connected with their dutlt
not pertaining to general Legislation
such as the Constitutional Amen'
ment, tho Election Law, ETC.. al
sure no member OF 1899 vii! dlspu
this statement.
During the last thres years, slnt
/ have been living in Raleigh n
whole income from all sources has bet
barely sufficient to support my tamil
My entire estate, including proper
belonging to my wife, would not pro
ably sell for more than seventeen
eighteen thousand dollars, and it
encum bered by unpaid mortgages
over three years standing for eley'
thousand dollars. Even my home
mortgaged for about half Its purcha
money.
lido my banking business with t
Citizens National Bank OF this CT
and its books Will show have I
had to my personal credit at any Q
time during the last two years as mu
as one thousand dollars.
When the campaign OF this y
closed, the Committee was very mu
behind. There were number OF
gent bills to be met, Tor which '
responsible. ] borrowed, upon the
dorsement of a friend, from the CT
mercial & Farmers Bank of this c
one thousand dollars and gave 1t to
Committee as my contribution to
campaign.
Painful as it is to do so, deem it pl
or to make this statement about
private affairs that the people OF
State may see low unjust and G
are the charges with which it is b
sought to injure and destroy my n
tation.
During the last three years l
gwen to the Democratic party a
of my time without any compensa
having actually borrowed money
pay, in part, my expenses while
gagged in this work, and have
0AsEoH EA..
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