The Aberdeen weekly. [volume] (Aberdeen, Miss.) 1878-1933, 1904-07-08
The Democratic House Leads.

Hon. John Sharp Williams of Mississippi
Democratic leader in the National House oi
Representatives, is thus described in Leslie
Monthly for July by Hon. j. Adam Bede, mem
Der of Congress from Minnesota:
His family settled in North Carolina at an
early day and later pushed westward TO the
banks OF the Mississippi. Here. until the Civil
War broke out, all went we'll with them, and
the young lad found himself in world filled
with ailuring prospects. But his father, who
was Confederate Colonel, was killed at Shiloh
in ls62 and his mother having already died, lac
was Ia en- To his mothers famil state in Nazoo
County Miss After liberal education at
home and some years of study and travel
abroad, including two years at Heidelberg he
read law and soon settled down 10 the lie of a
lawyer and cotton planter at Yazoo City where
he still resides.
John Williams is the link between the old
and the new. He is man OF books. of travel
and of education, but he wears.uo friiIs and i
one of the plaine>t members of the House, for
though a man Of numerous family ne has all
the instincts and outward appearances of I"
literary Bohemian He Is easy an old
shoe.
In personal appearance he Is of medium
height and slight build, with hair that delights
in standing out from his head but stands out
more sometimes than others-sHi of length
tlat suggests hc may ha Z studied music or
played FOOT ttban III his youth. Tie generally has
had a shave day before yesterday, aud Is
net worrie if button Is missing from his
vest. Now and then he makes classical al
fusion quotation IN debate, aud on the one
occasion gave the House a few lines of German
tor its own delectation and To make point
and adorn a tale. From his travel culture ana
apI,ea rance you might xpect him on any holi-
n. ess ff..r
try aud zwel beer, with The accent on the LAST
syllable.
Every member on both sides of tie Hoass
liArs John Williams, and We of the North might
almost adopt him and take him away from hiS
southern environment, but We know that the
people OF Yazoo Parish would rise up
man and crS as voice
i.iugor not long, home IS not home without
thee.
Aud 80 wc ,iesist. To anslyzs his popuarit.
i not ~ easy. But il can be safely said chat il
not his beauty which first attracts one.for MS
pulchritude i of the ~inged cat varity. John
i somewhat swsrthy and has sort of com
promise complexion ON which his party ought
to be willing to get together but il is healthy
and natural. he has never used any skin food
dome any grating
There are many able aud some brilliant mel.
~ the Democratic side, bnt none So we'll quail
fed in every way for leadership on the floor
Williams. First Of all, he Is man Of temperate
tiionght. a qualification of the highest order
j sSt nov in the leader of great party which
J a been 80 torn by factions and SO intoxic
with novel ideas that it has hardly had its hat
IN straight for eight years. Then. too he l.
widely read and ilIumihes his remarks with
= ia lights that attract the attention of Re-
ruhlicsus no less than that of his own side of
the House Again, though not the most eio-
quent of the Democratic members, he is the
readiest and most versatile debater on the
myriad subjects that come unexpectedly before
the House, and i alert to every opening in the
Republican position. IS he Is serving his
sixth term ia Congress, lac i ripe III experience
has familiarity with parliamentary law a
used in that body, aud is quite at home on the
floor Ills voice. which has "A slight rasp III IL.
grows pleasing to the ear and has good carrl
ing qualities, which make him readily heard
when there is not rough house. Above all he
has the good viii Of every member never loses
his head in debate and leaves no vulnerable
points exposed. Thus he has made the most uf
the minority side of the case in the Fiity-eight
Congress. lie Is moderate, sensible beloved.
Veteran members assure me that not in years
las there been interesting a session of Con
sress the one just closed, aud they attribute
his fact very largely to he aggressive and |
'irle minority leadership of Mr.. Williams.