Carroll County democrat. (Huntingdon, Tenn.) 188?-1971, 1913-07-04
SINS MEETS CHARGES
OF Being Influenced by Railroad in
His Commerce Court Fight


Last Saturdays Tennessean and
American contained the following
from Washington:
The action Of the democratic
caucus in endorsing the Sims bill
for the abolition of the commerce
court was echoed in the house to.
day as a result of charges that big
railroad interests prompted the
fight on the court. Congressman
Sims in a speech declared that At
torney General McReynolds was
responsible for the fact that Wal
ker d. Hines, a railroad lawyer
was consulted in The preparation
of the bill to wipe out the court.
The attorney general commended
the suggestions of the railroad
counsel with reference to the court
but before his views we're asked
the lawyer was given to under
stand the democrats, were deter
mined to abolish the court,
Judge Sims statement was heard
with deep interest by members of
the house. The correspondence
he read indicated the warmth Of
friendship existing between the at
torney-general and the railroad
counsel and completely indicated
the Tennessee congressman of hav-
ing sought the advice of Hines
upon his own initiative.
The following coloquy between
Judge Sims and Mr.. Hardwick, of
Georgia, sufiiced to demonstrate
clearly the attitude Of Mr.. Sims;
will the gentleman tell me
who brought this Mr.. Hines or
the attorney general into this
thing9" asked Hardwick.
"All / know about Mr.. Hines
being in it was from the letter
received from the attorney-genera
commencing his suggestions to my |
consideration, = answered Sims.
In other words, you never had |
anything to do with Mr.. Hines in
this matter until the attorney-gen-
eral of the United States brought
him to your attention2n asked the
Georgian.
mo, | never heard Of him in
connection with the commerce
court legislation. | do not even
know whether Mr.. Hines is in
favor of a commerce court or not
and / did not ask him whether he
was or not. The attorney general
had sent his letter to me with the
the respectful and kindly request
to consider the suggestions. 81
thought it was my duty and moth
ing but proper respect to the at
torney-general to submit the bill
to Mr.. Hines for suggestions"
Judge Sims speech was the re-
suit OF a story appearing in the
Washington Post this morning 10
which it was stated that Jonas
Daisch, of Washington, had filed
with the house judiciary committee
charges to the effect that the dem
ocratic fight against the commerce
court was inspired by powerful
railroad interests. Daisch charg-
cd that the moving spirits in the
fight against the court, of whom
Judge Sims is a leader, we're
prompted in their course by
Walker ID. Hines, formerly gen.
eral counsel for the Louisville &
railroad. He suggested
that the subject was one for in
vestigation by the senate lobby
and asked that all of
the correspondence between Sims
and Hines be produced.
In his speech Judge Sims vol
unfairly produced all of the cor
respondence and this completely
exonerated the Tennessean and
other foes of the commerce court
from the charges of Daisch. In
cidentally, the correspondence de-
a warm friendship between
The Encouragement and the rail-
road counsel, but it showed clearly I
that Sims did not ask and did not
receive a single suggestion from :
Hines concerning the wisdom of
the court.