Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1903-11-19
ICosIMUNICATED.
WASHINGTON. October % 100


The special session ofthe5 Sth Con
gress, called by the President for
the purpose of working through the
Cuban reciprocity proposition is now
in session.
The opening of Congress was very
much like the opening of any Con
gress that has preceded it. The
republican programme went through
as slated. Uncle Joe" Cannon was
elected speaker according TO sche-
dule, and the Hon. John Sharp Viii
liams, of Mississippi, was the no
minee of the democratic party for
Speaker as predicted in this CORES
pondence away last spring. AS the
defeated candidate for Speaker, Mr.
Williams was placed on the com
mittee to escort in the new Speaker
and his speech introducing the new
Speaker to- the House OfRepresenta-
tIves was the most graceful thing
that has been heard on the floor OF
the House for many years. The
daily papers all over the country
have commented on it as such. MIR
Mr.. Williams has already made good
the predictions of his friends that he
is the man for the position of floor
leader of the House on the democratic
side. He has had the good sense. as
his friends knew he would have. to
give his chief opponent, the Hon.
Champ Clark, of Missouri, the APP
pointment on the Ways and Means
Committee, one of the highest honors
that can come TO democrat. Mr.
Williams not only showed his gen
crosby by this action, but his good
sense as well, for Mr.. Clark is one of
theablest democrats i'm the Congress,
and can do effective work against
the republican party in that position.
Mr.. Williams not only has done this;
he also has placed Hon. David A.
De Almond, of Missouri, one OF the
ablest men in public life today, on
the committee on rules with him
self. That is the most important
committee in the House, for it con
trols all legislation emanating from
the House, and controls all debates.
He will be absolutely invaluable 10
the party and to Mr.. Williams has
also placed the Hon. James 7. Lloyed,
of Missouri. back inhis old place
as the democratic whip" of the
House.
That is an honorable and respon-
sible position, for the whip of the
House has to see to it that majority
of the members in the city are in
their seats and voting on any pro
position in which isinvolved the
party policy. Mr.. Llyod was for Mr..
Clark against Mr.. Williams, and this
action of Mr.. Williams not only was
just and good sense, but it was gen
erous as well. He has thus justified |
the prediction of his friends that he |
was big enough to lead the minority |
to things they can boast of in next |
campaign. As | have previously |
remarked in this correspondence,
the democracy can be congratulated |
on the leadership it possesses in the
House for the two years Look out
for John Sharp Williams.
$50
There is one little piece of red tape
that each new Hobse goes through /
with that gives the spectators inthe
gallery and the members on the
door an opportunity to give vent to
their enthusiasm for any particular
man they believe in or whom they
think is popular hero. That is the
time honored function of drawing
seats for the session. A page is
blindfolded and he pulls out of a box
q marble with number on it, and |
there is a members S name opposite |
this number. Both are called out |
and the member then goes down and |
selects his seat. There was much