The San Francisco call., 1904-07-13
THE SPEECH OF MR.. WILLIAMS.

RH R. WILLIAMS of Mississippi put forward
I'M bv the Democratic National Committee to make
4 the keynote speech at ST. Louis and Mr.
Roots speech made at Chicago. This duty was per
formed by Mr. Williams under circumstances somewhat
unfavorabe due lack OF and voice, and
to lack of attention in the body he was addressing.
Only once did he get from his audience response
cffervescent with enthusiasm. When he denied Repub
can instrumenality securing the gold standard he
claimed that it was established by the dogged persist
ence and indomitabe will of Grover Cleveland" The
mention of the ex-Presidents brought the first
hearty, human and unrepressed expression of feeling
The same party that in 1890 had called him thief in
terms had accused him of fatening his estate the
msfortunes of his country and that has since refused
place for his portrait national and county
conventions and every way sought destroy his
fame, mutilate his record and has DETAINED his
family and lied about his domestic life, stood UP and
cheered and demonstrated for considerable fraction
hour when his mentioned.
After this it entirely appropriate that Mr. Williams
proceeded to praise Mckinley though every who
heard him knew that were Mckinley living, the Mssis-
spp hre-eater would have been denouncng him. But
in order get blow at Roosevelt he accused him of
abandoning McKineys policy "in twenty respects" and
then proceeded to praise that policy All that may de
ceive folk down South, but in the North where
freedom of opinion is brthright, it will deceive
body
The Call said that the opening speech of the Demo
cratic National Convention would, of necessity, be
naggng criticism of what the Republican party has
done 1t has had things 1t has had charge of the
Government by controlling the executive department
Congress- for foryfour years. except during two years
OF Mr. Clevelands second administration when the De-
mocracy had Congress and the Presidency and became
responsible for the Government Now, party in power
has administer the Government. and of has to
do things. In the years of Democratic control
thing only was done Mr. Cleveland protected the pub
lie credit He forced the repeal of the Sherman act
and he restrained his party from radical silver egsa-
ton But he did this against his party and repudated
and spat upon him.
Mr.. Williams is leader of the minority in the House,
and has sat silent while the Democratic side Kissed
Cleveands 1t is amazing that, in keynote
speech to Democratic National Convention, the ouy
public act in fortyf years claimed the credit of
the party is which it repudated execrated and de-
famed Every other act in public history in that
period has been the fruit of Republican policy. Mr..
Williams addressed himself to naggng and rather
small criticism of that record.
The striking part OF his speech is the reference
the disfranchsement of the negro in the South He
said: "Disfranchisement of negro in Mississippi
ignorance is horrible thing; disfranchisement
of white in Massachusetts Connecticut is part
of New England education" Mark that at
New England 1t reminds one of the piping times of
slavery when Bob Toombs calling all Northern
"nuds" and declaring that he would call the roll of
his slaves the foot of Bunker Hill monument.
Mr.. Williams knows the difference between the edu-
caonal qualifications in the ballot laws in the North and
those in the South He knows that in the Southern
stutions the grandfather" clause provides that
unqualified shall ballot unless his grand
father voted He knows that this clause is intended to
unconsttutionally disfranchse the negroes, whose
grandfathers slaves. and at the time permit
the densely ignorant ean whites vote though they
don't know ''B" from busfoot.
Now note what follows, remembering his sneer at
New England and the North. Threatening that if the
Republican party enforce the constitution in respect
counting dsfranchsed negroes in the basis of repre-
sentation the South will retaiate, he said
The mercantile class would be the first suffer-
they owe debts the North and buy from the North
and nearly everything they sell is manufactured in the
North they would not be alone in their suffering
Which of that if the constitution is en-
forced they will repudiate the debts they in the
North
Mr.. Williams, who is from the first American State
that repudated its debts may we'll be informed that
the South is violating the constitution the North will
enforce it. though his constituents rob the North of
every dollar they owe to its merchants and manufac-
turers.
After the bloviant euson the South is anus
ing that Mr.. Williams does the humiliation of
his section that is in the admission that it dependent
the despised North for its merchandise and manu-
features. The Southern head need soaking,
as Mills of Texas once advised The Democratic posi-
ton stated by Mr. Williams is, ~If you don't let us
violate the constitution, we won't pay debts"
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The Legislature of Louisiana has decreed that all
poolrooms the dangerous and nsdous corrupters