The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1914-11-20
SISS0N GIVES ACCOUNT
OF HIS STEWARDSHIP.
Offers Explanation of His Votes About Which He Has
Been Severely Criticized Throughout the Country
Says the Present Turmoil Mississippi Politics Hurting the State Abroad
New Deal Probably Mecessar.-ths Speech Quite
Ngnfled and StaieSmanike UteranCe.

Hon. T. U. Sisson, congressman
from this district, spoke in the court
house in Grenada Monday evening, He
was introduced by Mr.. W. S. P. Doty.
Quite good sized crowd consisting of
number of ladies greeted Mr.. Sisson,
in fact when it is considered that the
sudden change IN the weather had made
the evening exceedingly disagreeable,
he should feel complimented at the
number who came out to hear him give
an account of his stewardship.
Mr.. Sisson's stay in Washington
seems to have toned him down no little;
there is much more deliberation and
csrefulness in what he says than be-
fore he went to congress. The great
er part of his speech of two hours and
thirty-five minutes was consumed in
explaining some votes which he had
cast as member of congress about
which he has been rather severely criti-
cised. The first vote to which he ad-
dressed himself, was his vote on the
Flood resolutisn, the introduction of
which followed President Wilson's spe-
cial message to congress touching the
Mexican situation and which few days
later resulted in the dispatching of U.
S. troops and part of the navy to Vera
Cruz. Mr.. Sisson said that he was one
of the five Democrats to vote against
the resolution and that he was prompt
ed to vote as he did because he 'believ-
ed that for congress to adopt the reso-
luton would plunge this country into
war with Mexico and possibly with 9TH
er nations. The resolution passed the
lower house by an overwhelming vote
Notwithstanding Mr.. Sisson's opposi-
ton and went to the senate where it
was amended, and he states that when
it came back to the lower house that
he voted for it for the reason
that the Objectionable part had
been stricken out or the resolution so
amended that there was no war menac-
ing language in it. The Sentinel knows
no reason why the public should not ac-
cept Mr.. Sisson's statement as one
made in perfect good faith and in alb
solute sincerity, but to the mind of q
private in the rear ranks there appears
to be so little difference in the resolu-
ton as passed by the house and the one
that came back from the senate that
it is case of mere tweedle dunn and
tweedle dee. The facts of record are
that the daily press all over the coun-
try arragned Mr.. Sisson in very severe
language about his vote and there
seemed mighty good grounds for think
| ing that the reason he voted for the
resolution when it got back to the house
was because he had heard from the
boys" away from Washington.
He then took up the matter of the
criticism made against him because OF
his speech regarding the California
situation when the Japanese were try
ing to own land there and when it look.
ed, in spite of the efforts of President
Wilson and Secretary Bryan, that thi.
country would become involved in wal
with Japan. Mr.. Sisson went at length
into the matter of alien ownership a:
we'll as corporation ownership of land
both of which he said he was vigorous
ly opposed to, and stated that hi!
Espeech was made because the people OF
California were then having to dea
. with the verv situation regarding tn,
Japanes that the South is dealing will
J regarding the negro, and that his posi-
tion was one of principle and made pub
lie in behalf of his own people. Mr.
Ssson made two speeches in congress
about the time that the Japanese ques
ton was giving President Wilson sucl
serious concern. When the first speecl
J was made Mr.. Sisson was not Onl
criticised but ridiculed in all parts o
the country, the idea seeming to b
; that he had gone off half-cocked an
the fact that second speech was nee
cessary reenforces the conclusion tina
Mr.. Sisson spoke on the Japanese ques
ton, and thought afterwards. AS a
evidence of the acuteness of the Wa
: situation with Japan, and the menacin
aspect of Mr.. Sisson's first speech o
, the California situation, the fact tina
a President Wilson sent for him when
was announced that he was going
make his second speech, is proof tina
the President regarded repltitiOn c
the speech as greatly complicating tn
situation. Granting that Mr.. Sisson
, position on the California matter wa
g entirely correct, there can be no deni;
of the fact that there is serious ques
f ton about the wisdom of the deliver
g of speech in which the speaker talk
e about the shedding of every drop {
{ blood" or words to that effect, at tha
J time. When John Does house is O
!; fire, he has little time to talk abol
r ethics or the principles that should gov
/ ern communities; the point is to get tt
;. fire put out and then.give these matter
s attention afterwards.
n He explained that in voting in oppos
tion to his party and against making g
appropriation for the building of a
Alaskan railway that about all the al
ricultural products raised there wei
Irish potatoes and that these were wort
only about rs cents per bushel whi
hilsame potatoe raised in the Sou
e were worth several dollars per bush
anu were purchased by the inhabitan
y instead of using their own productio
L. he said that the inhabitants were mos
& ly Eskimos; he failed to state, howeve
r. anything about the great mineral ou
" put of that country nor did he give al
- reason why, if the United States is
keep that country. it should not be d
veloped. Summarized, his position