The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1903-11-14
The New Minority Leader.
washington Correspondent in Repubn

in the House Of Representatives is in
his fiftieth year, and is just entering
upon his sixth consecutive term in
congress.
Mr.. Williams is reputed to be
man Of wealth, and by common con-
sent is one of the best informed and
most versatile members of the House.
He is a Tennesseean by birth. His
father was Colonel Of Tennessee reg
iment, and was killed at Shiloh.
Mrs. Williams then removed to her
native home in Yazoo, Miss, where
the subject of this sketch was placed
iD school and began a course Of educa-
tion which for variety and thorough
ness have not been enjoyed by many
American boys. He attended pri-
vate school in Yazoo, then went to
Kentucky Military Institute, later to
the University of the South, then to
the University of Virginia, and round
sd out his college work at the cele-
brated Heidelberg University in Bad
en, Germany.
After leaving that institution, MIR.
Williams travelled extensively in Eur
ope and then returned to Mississippi,
where he engaged in the practice Of
law, and also became interested in
cotton raising, at which ne prospered.
He was delegate to the Democratic
Convention in 1892, and upon enter
jnS the House of the Fifty-third Con-
gress at once rose to high rank as a
debatOr Of legal and economic ques
tions.
Mr.. Williams is virile partisan,
but never has been known to indulge
IN merely captlous criticism Of the op-
position party. His reasoning is solid
and clear and his contentious uniform
II are made because of his convictions
Of right and Of wise policies, rather
than for the purpose Of scoring an un.
Important point against the republi
cans. His friends say that this course
will characterize all bis policies as the
minority leader.
Inpersonal appearance Mr. William'
Is Of medium height, slight, butactivt
Of physique, with keen, searching
eye, approachable and companionable
hutsomewhat reserved excepting will
Intimate friends.
In debate he becomes animated ant
thoroughly entertaining. He has tho
happy faculty of frightening up al
academic subject, and speech by hin
on even such dry subject as an agri
culture appropriation bill becomes in
structive, witty and convincing,
Mr. Williams policies as leader viii
be to keep the minority solidfied an,
4 to put the best men forward 10 debate
The advancement Of De Armond o
Missouri to the Rules committee give
him a thoroughly equipped and abl
lieutenant. The House leadership
stronger on both sides than it has bee
in recent years. The members appre
clate that great issues are at stake /
the important debates to precede tn
Presidential and congressional eleC
tions Of 1904 and the minority will b
yigilant, aggressive and yet governed
II is said, by straight lines of part
prlnciple rather than an aim to scor
any trifing advantages over the mt
jority
Mr.. Williams has appealed to th
democrats to work hard 10 committe
50 that no man on the republca
side might ever have more inform;
tlon than they on any subject befoI
the House. This appeal well illu
tta,es hi 'haracter and his desire fC
a solid, taue bic and substantial Of
posltion, where 1t is necessary to ol
pose rather than indulgence in quill
bling or cavil Mr.. Williams W;
cboaen leader without opposition an
there is no party soreness nor frictio
as the result of his success The den
oorals are united and enter upon til
work o. the new congress with dete
mlnaton and good spirits, under I'll
lead Of the talented Mississippian.
Judge Emmett Field.
Judge Emmett Field, brother