The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1900-10-04
SIMMONS RECORD IN CONGRESS.
His Work Speaks for Itself and Shows
That as a "Business Man" Having
at Heart the Peoples Interests he is
Second to No One.

Would it not seem right that the
leader-the duly appointed leader III
the last two political campaigns
have the first and highest honor APP
propriate to the victories which they
secured? If there had been oppor-
tunity to show appreciation by the
people of the value Of the servi ces Of
this leader after he had won so sig
nally the great fight OF 1898, who
would have contested hOnors with
him? They would have been his by
acclaim. But there was no such OPP
portunity. During the ensuing year
and half there was the tedious and
delicate task Of keeping the victori-
Gus party in harmony and unity.
Then the representative Of the peo-
pie proposed further plans to enable
the people to follow more event Y their
pursuits in life without the fear OF
negro domination destroying all their
plans. TO carry out these ideas the
same leader was chosen to give his
best cndeavors to accomplish their
wishes. How we'll he performed this
task all the world, literally, know.
The Republican yice-presidentia can
didatc shouts it aloud and the Demo
cratic candidate for President is daily
confronted with it.
Would it not seem right now to
give him the highest honor that the
party has at its hand? Time, place
and the circumstances all seem to
point by common consent to him.
The honor should be bestowed now
because we give doubly when we give
promptly. 1t will be an incentive in
future to patient and intelligent work
if we can point to it, full and i'm
mediate reward.
Mr. Simmons comes without qucS-
ton, by lifelong and present resi-
dence, from that section Of the State
to which is conceded the Senatorship
this term: and as to the conditions,
he would seem logically to hold the
preference among voters. However
much the lieutenants assisted, and
while the whole country hOnOrs them.
by common consent the commander
Of the fleet at Manila was made ad
miral Of the navy. And why not APP
to these condtions9 There are
more elections to come, and it would
seem impatient on the part Of other
aspirants If they could not bide their
time.
Mr.. Simmons measures up to the
highest requirements. For years he
has been in touch with the leading
10. II 81 a..
His honesty and capacity for manag-
ing in a business-likc way large enter
prises are equal to any mans, and
adaptability to the work Of a United
States Senator is not a problem. He
has proved his special fitness for this
high undertaking. He served as a
member of the Fifticth Congress.
We have short memories in these
stirring times, and are too apt to
forget the good things that men do.
But n review Of the Records, even if
cursorily read, will show that in one
term Mr. Simmons proved himself
an impartial and able represe
OF all conditions of people.
He did his best to help the farmers
against the first of trusts by intro
ducing the first bill on the statute
books to secure rebate on the duties
on cotton bagging. and thus reduced
its price to the cotton groves and
thus destroyed the cotton bagging
trust, thus anticipating one of the
methods OF destroying trusts which is
advocated in the Democratic platform
this year: and he aimed to give them
cheaper transportation for their
freights by cleaning out and i'm
proving the waterways of Fishing
creek. Swift Greek, White Oak, Tar
and Trent rivers. This would have
greatly benefited the lands drained
by them and brought thousands o!
acres OF timber to market.
He introduced and urged bill to
establish a telegraph system in con-
nection with the postal service long
before that question was generally
agitated.
For the colored people, to whom he
has been held up as only lacking
hCrns, he introduced Il measure tC
raise 4 commission to ascertain theil
real condition and suggest Legislation
to better it.
More than this, he urged on behalf
OF the laboring men. through petit
tons from the Knights of Labor,
such laws as would prevent compe-
tition between their labor and that of
convictS
He did not forget the school chill
dren. and advocated appropriations