Hatton W. Sumners
| Hatton W. Sumners | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Texas's At-Large district |
|
|
In office March 4, 1913 – March 3, 1915 |
|
| Preceded by | new district |
| Succeeded by | A. Jeff McLemore |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Texas's 5th district |
|
|
In office March 4, 1915 – January 3, 1947 |
|
| Preceded by | James Andrew Beall |
| Succeeded by | Joseph Franklin Wilson |
| Personal details | |
| Born | May 30, 1875 Fayetteville, Tennessee |
| Died | April 19, 1962 (aged 86) Dallas, Texas |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Profession | Attorney |
| Religion | Methodist |
Hatton William Sumners (May 30, 1875 – April 19, 1962) was a Congressman from Texas from 1913 to 1947 and served as Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee.
Sumners was born near Fayetteville, Tennessee on May 30, 1875. He moved to Garland, Texas, near Dallas in 1893. In 1895, as a 20-year-old newcomer to Dallas County, Sumners persuaded the Dallas City Attorney to let him "read law" in his office, an alternative to law school. Sumners was admitted to the bar in 1897 and commenced practice in Dallas, where he was elected prosecuting attorney of Dallas County in 1900, serving two non-consecutive terms. As prosecutor, he brought charges against gamblers in an attempt to clean up Dallas. As a result of his investigations and his campaign against drinking and vice, Sumners was not re-elected in 1902 He continued his campaign against gambling and voting irregularaties in Dallas, ultimately influencing state legislation enacted to reform the system, after which, Sumners was elected Dallas County prosecutor again. Instead of continuing in that position, he instead was elected president of the district and county attorney’s association of Texas in 1906 and 1907 where he campaigned against betting interests.
Sumners ran for and was elected to an at-large seat as a Democrat to the Sixty-third Congress, taking office on March 4, 1913. He was the first of the 132 freshmen congressmen in that Congress to get a bill through the House; the bill made Dallas a port of entry for customs. In 1914, he ran for the 5th District congressional seat which included Dallas, Ellis, Rockwall, Hill, and Bosque counties and he was elected.
Early in his career, he spoke out against the Dyer Anti-Lynching Bill, claiming that the bill's sponsors did not have adequate statistics to prove their case, that the bill would increase racial mob violence, and that the bill ultimately impinged on states' rights.
...
Wikipedia