The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1905-12-21

this week. There was nothing of Ma
tional importance on the boards to ex-
cite interest, because only appropria-
ton bills were up, but there were per-
Bonalities to spare-the kind of person
:alities that gained for certain states
men CD of the South before the war
the title Of "fire-eaters" The row refer
red to was among the patriots of the
South, and the members on the other
side OF the Chamber sat and laughed
It was one of the finest free shows that
has been witnessed by that distinguished
body, the lower House of the National
Legislature, in many a long day. II
all came about through committee as
signments. AS he has been for two
years, Representative Williams, of Mis-
sissippi, was made floor leader for the
Democrats for another two years.
Now, John Sharp Williams is sharp
as they grow 'em, and don't you forget
1t. He has education enough for four
men, is a graduate in law and In medi-
Cine in the United States and, not salts
fled with that, went across the big pond
and pulled in degree or two over
there, and then gave up both profess
sions for politics, where he plays a full
hand at every deal of the cards. He is
small. rather NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. and
would attract no attention at any
time until he begins to talk. He
has the soft Southern drawl to
tuates it till by force of mimicry
he makes his audience scream with
! laughter. He Is not an orator, and yet
his thin. rather high-pitched voice
makes itself heard even when its owner
/ lifts it only above a whisper. And as
for words-oh, we'll, when John Sharp
i'Williams starts out to sling the English
! language into sentences and epigrams
he has Brander Mathews beat to a f1n-
l4sh. and as for high-class tnvective, 1T is
q wonder that the spirit Of John ]. In
gals doesn't try to come back and stand
In for round or two with him. But
Williams isn't a great man. Not by a
long shot. He's too lazy. He enjoys to
the limit the clash of wits in the foren-
sic field. but away from that he isn't
worth shucks. He makes an ideal lead
er for the minority, therefore, because
about all there to 1t ia talkee-talkee
and he's always Johny-on-the-spotw with
that
Mr.. Speaker Cannon of course dele
gated to Mr. Williams-they are great
friends-as his undoubted right. the
makeup of the minority representation
on the House Committees. Mr.. VIII
Iams, as he had an undoubted right,
made up those committees as he thought
best, taking off names and adding
others. placing new men, and all that
1t is a time-honored custom, however.
to let q member alone on the commit
tees to which he is first appointed, If he
does not ask for q change, and as
members ahead of him drop Off the
committee the new members added are
tackled at the bottom, and in time each
member, IL he remains in Congress long
enough, mounts the ladder Of fame and
comes to be Chairman of his Commit
tee. It e matter Of honor not to
change the committees from Congress
to Congress, unless there is a change In
the political color Of the House, when
the leading majority members go to
the foot, and the leading minority
And here's the milk in this busted
southern-harmony cocoanut
In making up the minority represen-
tation on these committees, Mr.. Will
l.ams left off the Interstate and For
eign Commerce Committee the names
of Mr.. L. Q. c. Lamar, Of Florida, and
Mr. shackeIford. of Missouri, and as
signed them elsewhere. Oh, gee
whiz, as the little boy says. not
to mention the stronger epithet
Of his father. the fires Of passion
began to flicker in a nifty minute. Be it
known, that particular Committee Is q
plum, a peach, the whole basket Of
fruit, not to say the orchard just now.
n "r-a-i-l-r-o-a-d-r-a-t- If you
please, the whole eye Of the offending
In the first session OF the 59th Congress,
will be made ready In that Committee
Tor the House to consider.
Mr.. Lamar started the row when he
sent newspaper clipping to the Clerks
desk and asked a ruling as to whether
upon it. he could be recognized az
speaking to question Of personal priv
Hege. The paragraph was read to the
House. 1t purported to quote Mr.. Will
liams as to his reasons for leaving Mr..
Lamar and Mr.. Sheckelford off the
Committee on Interstate and Foreign
Commerce, the reason assigned being
that these two members had broken
caucus faith at the last session by ia
voring the Hearst bill to regulate rail-
road rates, as against the Dayey bill,
which had been Endorsed by the Demo-
cratic caucus
The Speaker speedily ruled that the
newspaper clipping did not constitute a
question Of personal privilege. Mr.. La
mar admitted that he had doubts on
the point
But" he continued, "Mr. Speaker, 1
desire that II should be formally made
of record in the House and to estop
and debar forever any possible sugges-
ton that did not attempt to bring that
matter up here in this House."
MT. fdyHe, f1OOT Leader Tor the he
publicans, seeing a lot of fun ahead
offered the gentleman with the outraged
feelings time from the majority side in
which to speak to the question he had
presented. when Mr.. Williams object
ed TO the present consideration of the
matter. By that time Mr.. Williams had
pranced down in front of Mr.. Lamar,
and almost under the Speakers nose,
but in front of the Republican section
which reaches over into old Democratic
territory. With a drawI. and slow but
deadly emphasis, Mr.. Williams, catch
ing the Speakers eye, said:
MIR. Speaker, pending the request
and reserving the right to object,
wish to say that in the interest of Dem
ocratic harmony and effectiveness''-
and here he swung around to his own
side OF the Chamber-"which as gen.
tlemen quite well know will not be pro-
NOTED by washing Democratic linen for
the amusement Of a Republican House
object"
And his objection stuck, so it did,
while the House-both sides-laughed
and applauded. Mr.. Lamar ragged,
ripped and all but swore, but he was
beating doves wings against Ossa on
Pelion pile when he tackled Mr.. Will
liams in that humor. Among other
modest things which Mr.. Lamar said