Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 40, Number 89, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 July 1908 — SECRETARY OF STATE. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

SECRETARY OF STATE.

For Thlt Place Fred Sims Has Shown His Eminent Fitness. SECRETARY OF STATE FRED A. SIMS, nominee for re-election, whose home is at Frankfort, is of that splendidv f ype of energetic r-d progressive” Indiana business man in nolitics. who takes his business uri»tiples into public life. Mr. Sims was first appointed Secretary of State by Governor Hanly, April 1, 1906, and has since filled that important office with such credit as to have materially strengthened the Republican £tate administration. He was elected to his first elective term in November, 1906, and at the recent Republican State Convention was re-hominated without opposition for the second term. ‘ Mr. Sims was secretary of the Republican State Committee during the last national campaign and made a wide acquaintance during that time of friends, who at every opportunity speak highly of his ability and high character, his close attention to his duties, and to his generous and affable and obliging disposition. Fred A. Sims was born in Frankfort, October 8, 1867, and most of his life has been spent in Clinton county. He attended the schools of Frankfort, and then went into the law office of his father, who was a well known member of the Clinton county bar. He was admitted to the bar in 1889. Two years later he took a place in the First National Bank of Frankfort as bookkeeper, and later became assistant cashier. Mr. Sims is a self-made young man, and has won his ijigh standing among-the people of his State by sheer merit. His ideals are high. In solving the large problems that come to him in the performance of the duties of his office and incidentally as chairman of the State Tax Board, his decisions are made with promptness and firmness, and are marked by conservatism and justice.

When the time came for him to make his regular settlement with the State Treasurer, after he had been In the Secretary of State's office but a short time, he promptly and without question turned over with the State money on hand all the accumulated Interest —a plan which was later Indorsed by the State platform, and still later enacted into a law. When a newspaper man expressed surprise at this innovation. In his matter-of-fact, frank, bUßlneas-llke way, Mr. Sims Bald: “I cannot see why It la not right. A public office is Just like a receivership or a trust Any receiver or trustee who would handle large sums of private money would surely be expected to account Tor any Interest that he might receive on such funds. I think the same rule should apply to a State officer.” Mr. Sims has been a member of the State Republican committee for twelve years, having been first elected as chairman of the Ninth Congressional District Republican organisation In 1896. During different campaigns he was the youngest member on the committee, but his Judgment has always been eagerly sought in the party counsels At a recent meeting of the Republican State Committee, when Chairman

James P. Goodrich announced that his business duties would make it impossible for him to spend much time during 'the coming campaign at the State Committee headquarters, by unanmious action Mr. Sims was made acting State Chairman, and he will have a large part in the conduct of the State and national campaign in Indiana this year.

FRED A. SIMS.