The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1907-12-03
THE CONGRESSIONAL OUTLOOK
John Sharp Williams Will Remain
Minority Leader Practically all
Opposition to Him Has Been
DisSipated.
News and Courier.

as the day for the sixtieth Congress
to open approaches fairly accurate
vision may be had of what is likely
to take place among our national
lawmakers during the next six or
seven N nths.
AS stated in dispatch to the News
and Courier the ball will start to
rolling Saturday afternoon when the
Democrats Of the House will caucus
to select a successor to Representa-
tive John Sharp Williams, who mas
been minority leader for about six
teen years. When Senator Bailey,
then representative from the State
Of Texas, gave up the minority lead
ership he was succeeded by Represen-
tative Richardson, Of Tennessee. At
ter he had held the place for short
time he gave place to Mr.. Williams,
the present incumbent.
A week ago it looked as if the
friends Of Representative DeArmand,
Of Missouri, would mass their forces
to oust Mr.. Williams when the eau
Gus meets, but Mr.. Williams has been
gaining strength so rapidly since his
defeat Of Governor Vardaman for
the senate That there is now little
reason to believe that the Williams
opponents will make more than a de-
monstration Of opposition. On the
streets today and in political circles
wherever Democrats ara gathered-it
Is the belief that Judge DeArmand
will run even though he should re-
ceive only the votes Of those Demo-
Gratis dissatisfied with Efr. Williams
and his administration for personal
reasons.
It is practically certain at the same
time that for the sake Of party har-
mony no other Democrat will allow
his name to go before the caucus. In
that event Mr.. Williams re-elec-
ton will be certain.
It is not at all certain that "Uncle
Joe" Cannon will be reelected
Speaker Of the House, although there
were in the last house 249 Republi-
cans as against 1876 Democrats, and
the proportion will not be greatly
different during the next congress,
and that number, ordinarily, would
be enough to elect him without the
least trouble. 1t must be understood,
however, that Of the 249 Republican
members all are not Cannon men,
and should another strong Republi-
can-of the stamp of Tawney, or
Payne, or Dalzell-come out for the
speakership the Republican element
Of the house would not show a solid
front for Cannon by any means.
There are number. of leading Re-
publicans in the house-as well as
Democrats-who do not countenance
Mr.. Cannon's methods at all times,
and the statement has frequently
been made by some Of them that they
might as we'll be at home as for the
results accomplished by them under
the Cannon regime.
The real fight on Mr.. Cannon is
coming, if the present plans Of Presi-
dent Gompers, Of the American Fed
Grafton of Labor, and his co-workers
are carried out, because they say they
cannot, under Mr.. Cannon's dictator
ship and rulings as well as his bos-
sism Of committees, secure proper
legislation to protect the labor peo-
pie Of the United States. His Short
comings during the three congresses
he has served as speaker are set out
at length in the circular letters 60
ing over the United States in the ef-
fort to defeat him for reelection to
that place. In these circulars each
instance whereby his rulings were
against the interests Of organized la
Dor have received special attention.
Chief Of these is cited his action in
regard to the labor amendments to
the Sherman antitrust law, the en-
plovers' liability bill, the project Of
creating department Of labor with a
secretary in the presidents cabinet,
the eightAour labor bill. the abuse
Of the injunction measures and the
bill relating to alien labor on the
Panama Canal. Mr.. Cannon is charg-
ed with having ruled against the in
terests Of organized labor in each Of
these instances. These are some of
the grievances Mr.. Gompers and his
associates in the Federation Of Labor
have chalked up against Mr.. Can