Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-07-28
SENATOR luke LEA
ANSWERS Mr.. SIMS
Replies to Criticisms Aimed at
Him by Tennesseean Who
Seeks His Seat.
CALLS REPRESENTATIVE
NONRESIDENT OF STATE
Explains Absence From Washington
During Sessions Of Congress.
Always Supported President.

| see, MS home state, has made reply to
| the criticisms aimed at him by Repre-
sentative Thetus W. Sims, when Mr..
Sims announced his candidacy for the
Senate. in opposition, to Senator Lea
| last Monday. Senator Lea's reply was
as follows:
The announcement received from
Washington. where Representative
| Sims resides, is most interesting If 1
am to be succeeded in the Senate by a
| resident of the state, I would for
| personal reasons rather be succeeded
| by Representative Sims than by any
| one / know. Our relations were most
| intimate and cordial until the SEN
atorial bee began to buzz around the
| Judges sylphlike form last January.
Since my term of office began it has
been my privilege to enjoy two or three
hours of his company each day I was
in Washington. He has repeatedly I'M
| til the last few months expressed full
some admiration of my course in the
Senate and out of it, going SO far
as to say in many of our interviews
that he alone considered my welfare,
as he would regard 1t as little short of
calamity for my public service to be
terminated, and other sweet sayings,
the recollection of which make me
blush. L have tried to show my friend
ship for him and his by trying to aid
him in his reflections to Congress and
by using whatever influence l possessed
to enable two splendid members of his
family to fll-as they are filling with
distinction-two of the most important
and lucrative offices of the government
of the District of Columbia. where they
also reside.
Representative Sims announces that
he is candidate for the existing va
cancy in the Senate, to which I might
add a nonresident candidate There
are two kinds of absenteeism,' one
sent from the Capitol while Congress
! is in session, and the other where the
member of Congress is absent from the
state or district when Congress is not
in session.
Explains his Absences.
ut is true that during my service
| in the Senate, when circumstances over
| which I have no control rendered it
Wa shington, 1 have been compelled to
be away from the Capitol more than 1
have desired For this / have much
regret, but not one word of apology to
| offer. 1t is equally true that Repre-
sentative Sims has been almost con-
tinuously absent from his state and
district, except during some of his
campaigns for reelection, when Con-
gress was not in session until he is re-
garded as resident of the District of
Columbia where his family resides. If
| the democrats of Tennessee desire to
| be represented in the upper house of
Congress by a resident of Washington,
who will be there all the time. whether
Congress is in session or not-out OF
touch and sympathy with his people,
Ignorant of their needs, unmlndful OF
their wants-they could make no hap
pier selection out of all that dlstin-
| guished company OF Tennesseeahs re-
siding in our beautiful capital than
Thetus Willrette Sims, who some TWEEN
ty wears ago resided at Linden, in the
state of Tennessee.
| 1T Is also equally true that "nen
| have been absent from Washington dur
| ing the sessions of Congress, have al
WAYS been paired, and my absence has
never imperiled the enactment into laws
| of any democratic measures or endan-
gered the passage of any or the pom
cies of Woodrow Wilson, both of which
have always had my vote and my most
loyal and undivided support
Refers to Record.
my attendance will be discussed here
after more fully. Suffice it now to say
that an impartial comment has been
made upon a part Of it already. COL
lier's Weekly has recently prepared
record OF the NOlt Va SCidtoiS oPoAA NANS
most important measures during the
last session of Congress, and 1t SHOWS
that | have missed only three more roll
calls than my colleague, and that many
senators have missed many more than
sims criticism is leveled with equal
impartiality at both his friend and
mentor. Senator Shields and myself
1.-The indictment that the representa-
tive draws against me relative TO the
Jackson post Office is not only drawn
against me, but against the entire SEN
ate for it is by its rules, sanctioned bJ
century of precedentS. that the ac-
ton was permitted of which he com
plains so bitterly, and which he makes
his paramount issue in his campaign
to have the District of Columbia given
seat in the Senate.
an answer to his criticism of the &C
ton I would take in the Senate If the
conversational service was sadly depict
ed at this critical time by the nomina-
lions of Senator Shields and Repre-
sentatiyes Hull and Moon to the fed
eral supreme and circuit benches, re-
spectively. / will say that my action
would probably be the same as his, II
he were in the Senate and would have
the courage to express there the sem
timentS he has heretofore, as an 1nd1-
yidual, expressed toward these gentle
men.
I'm conclusion, my hat is also in the
ring and ] am prepared to defend it
against residents and non-residents
alike"
PRIESTS BRAVE IN BATTLE.