The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1904-07-02
REPUBLICAN OPINION
OF Jk0. S. WILLIAMS
Characterized as DemOcracy'S Most
Brilliant Leader.

J.. Adam Bede, Congressman from
Minnesota, has the following in Leslie's
Monthly Magazine, about Hon. John
Sharp Williams, the brilliant statesman
from Yazoo.
There arc many able and some bril-
liant men on the Democratic side, but
none so well qualified in every way for
leadership on the floor as John Williams.
First of all he is n man Of temperate
thought, a qualification of the highest
order just now in the leader of a great
party which has been so torn by factions
and so intoxicated with novel ideas that
it has hardly had its hat on straight for
eight years, Then, too he is widely read
and illumines his remarks with side
lights that attract the attention of Re-
publicans no less than that of his own
side of the house. Again, though not
the most eloquent Of the Democractic
members, he is the rcadiest and most
versatile dcbater on the myriad sub
iects that come unexpectedly before
the house, and is alert to every open
ing in the Republican position. As he
is now serving his sixth term in con
gress, he is ripe in experience, has a
familiarity with parliamentary law as
used in that body, and is quite at home
on the floor. His voice, which has a
slight rasp in it, grows pleasing to the
car, and has good carrying qualities
which make him readily heard when
there is not n rough house. Above all,
he has the good will of every member,
never loses his head in debate and leaves
no vulnerable points exposed. Thus he
has made the most Of the minority side
of the case in the hfty-eighth congress.
He is moderate. sensible, beloved.
Veteran members assure me that not
in years has there been SO interesting a
session Of congress as the one just closed,
and they attribute this fact very largely
to the aggressive and virile minority
leadership of Mr.. Williams. Things have
been one-sided for so long a time in the
house that new interest was aroused
when the under-dog began to make good.
Ard 10 tbie condition rrtln, jlD,, tp |
profound approval Of all his utterances,
was dine the wild acclaim of tho Demo.
cratic members under the spell of Mr..
Cockran's eloquence. But the session
was good-natured, leaving out one or two
u~nschcdulcd passages at arms near the
close, an era of good-fee1ing reigned SUI
preme. Never has a Republican speak
er possessed the good will of opposition
in the house as Uncle Joe has it to-day,
and surely not since Mr., Carlisle's time
has a Democratic leader on the floor had
the Republican good will and admiration
bestowed upon John Williams in the
present congress.
1t was no small task to hold together
and in harmony the d%iscordant elements
of his party throughout the session, but
he did it adroitIy, taetfully, successfully.
He is not a the0rist, but he tolerated
the theories Of others without stamping
them with the party brand and giving
them the full approval of his leadership.
He was not led oil into any socialistic va
carries, for he knows a thing or two, and
among other things he knows an initia-
tive from a referendum when he secs
them, but he made no display Of purglng
his party Of its socialist adherents. His
steady purpose seemed to be to occupy
such rational grounds on the issues that
have divided parties and created faction
al confusion, rs to rally around n
standard all the scattered forces of De-
mocracy for the impending campaign.
That he did this skilfnlIy, under all the
circumstances, is universally conceded.
LIZ mas d hCtI StlSt VI JlAuIbT Which |
often proves a saving grace in a mix-up
OF the floor, and it serves him we'll,
though he seldom INDUCES in a display
Of humor himself. IIo would enjoy the
story Of the old Kentucky darkey who
emptied his masters dcmijohn into his
own skin and then filled the jug with
water, laughing at the thought that
when his master should take another
drink he would get some Of that STUFF
right in his mouth. But the South is
waking up and tasting new things these
days. She has felt the touch of trade
and the inspiration of Once
more she is blithe and gay, and sleepy
towns have taken on the strenuous life.'
And, best Of all, her products are her
people, for she is sending forth new men
with new thoughts and with a new mes-
sage to the world, men who are exerting
a wider and more helpful innunce than
has been felt for q generation. The
North sincerely mourned at the passing
OF Henry Grady and reioices again in the
coming Of John Williams, for the country
needs some representative and respond