The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-05-16
WILLIAMS A eoRN LEApER
Sterling Product of a Typical Southern
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 "savoyardP in the Washington Post.
 Last December in a moment or inspira- tion, the minority chose John sharp Will Hams for leader He has ability, scholar ship and learning In debate he can de- liver as strong a blow as Bailey, and in his association with men he practices all the tact of Richardson. He is entirely democratic in his demeanor, and has com plete control of his temper. He is we'll grounded in the history and the politics of the country, and at a moments notice can show the most pertinent and the hap plest illustration front the story of other people and other ages, ancient and mod ern, and few men in congress have profit ed as much from the wisdom Of other generations. He Is not q deciaimer, put a ready speaker and strong reasoner. He never says foolish thing, and never oc- cupies the dead level of mediocrity. He is a well-read man. In the "Old South" as they call 1t, there were in most of the homes of prosperous planters select libra ries Of few books-The English Bible, Pilgrims Progress Herodotus, Rollin, Plutarch Gibbon, Hume and Maculay, Southereners also read Scott Thackeray, and Dickens. Frequently there were Boswelrs poets; also Goldsmith complete. There were Shakespeare, Milton, Pope, Byron and Poe. These works many Southeren boys born to affiuence con- stantly read. Knowledge of them was within itself no mean education in those days-fifty years ago-Harper' periodi- calls and Littells Living age were in thousands of southern homes. as was the Southern Literary Messenger John Sharp Williame was reared in such home.
 Mir Williams has younger brother a co-heir with him in the estate they ln- herited from their parents The conh- dence and fellowship between these two are beautiful and ideal There was never a division of their heritage, never set tlement of their accounts The property of one was the property of the other What belonged to both belonged to each. Not only their lands and chattels were in common, but their bank accounts and prl- vate purses were in common. When the elder brother was manager the younger called on him for money or supplies when he was in need and always received the full of his requests; and when the elder entered politics and was returned to con- gress the younger took charge of the es- tate and for more than ten years has been the purse holder. Both are happily married and each is the father of seven children. The relations between them are simply delightful
 When he rose the first time to address the house at any considerable degree of length he was accorded a respectful hear ing, and that day he won his spurs. The speech was no fervid Reclamation, not an appeal to passion, not an oration, not an essay. He is a scholarly man, but has no pretense to the graces of an orator ana he is not an Apollo in physical presence and not an Adonis in physical beauty. His is not dulcet voice, but on this oc- cason there was a something in the speech and in the man that challenged attention and commanded respect. Con gress pricked up it's ears, and before ne had spoken a quarter of an hour It was the opinion of congress that this little man would make his mark, and he did. In argument. he Is sound from hls politl- cal standpoint, and hls language is cor rect and ample--no lack of words and no superfiuous words. He is an able and an accomplished debater. He is fluent, and his self possession evidences the man of thought, the man of culture and the man of mental, moral and physical cour- age.
 There Is something in the makeup of John Sharp Williams that makes men love him as well as admire him. Speaker Can non seems to think even more of him than he did of Governor Savers. who was his chum for several years. It is not that he is a sound reasoner and strong de- tater that he has been fortunate in his leadership, but that men respect and con fide in him. Perhaps JohE c. Brecken- ridge and Abraham Lincoln did not think less alike than Williams and Lincoln, and yet Williams frequently reminds people of Lincoln. and 1t is the occasion of common remark.
 It is but just to say that MT. Williams has distinguished himself as the leader of the minority. He is ready in debate as he Is skillful. and the whole republican side might go to sleep-something 1t has never yet done-without the slightest ap- prehension that an unfair advantage would be taken of 1t so long as John sharp Williams is in command
 If you would see the splendid debater ke is, read the discussion with MT. Dal- zel on reciprocity with Canada and the balance of trade. Robert J. Walker him self could not have done it better.
 The other day General Grosvenor was down at Norfork, and tried to get Gre clan horse inside the city limits of Troy. He was for Southern man for the dem- ocratic nomination for president. There are southern men of presidential propor ton down there. Texas has two of them in the United States senate right now. John Sharp Williams is another. south- ern man would be president today. had the south set her face like flint against the agrarian craze in 1S9S-7 Let General Grcsvenor possess himself with patience He will probably live to see, a southern man take the place at the head of the table, but not this year.
 Patience and shuffe the cards