The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1907-08-16
WILLIAMS AND MINORITY LEAD.
ERSHIP.

The nomination Of John Sharp VIII
liams to the senate by the democratic
primaries in Mississippi has started a
discussion as to who shall b. chosen
his successor as minority leader in the
house. We do not see why this Ques-
| ton should be raised so early unless
| it is a scheme Of his opponents in the
! democratic ranks in the house to de-
| pose him as. leader during the present
| congress, which meets in it's first ses-
| sion next December. Mr.. Williams
was elected a member of this, the six
tieth congress and he will be again
! elected the leader Of the minority I'M
less his enemies can bring about Z
great change of sentiment regarding
him among the majority of the dem
ocratic members. Mr.. Williams term
: as senator will not begin until March
4, 1911, two years after the expiration
Of the term in the house to which he
was elected last fall.
When it to electing a minority
leadernext December his opponents will
no doubt use against him the fact OF
his nomination for the senatorshlp-
a very poor argument. The fact tina
he cannot be a member Of the house
after March 4, 1911, is no reason why
he should not be elected the leader OF
his party in the house in 1907. There
will be another full congress after the
r1ccr n ovri-pc hafNra Mr. Will
liams' term as senator begins.
When his election as senator k
place we do not know, but it is pos
'sible for him to be again elected 4
member Of the house 090S). n
serve another full term in that BODY
before his term as senator begins.
If the senatorial election occurs be-
fore the general elections in the fall
of 1908 it would be rather a peculiar
state of affairs to elect a senatOr-elecs
as a member of the house OF repre-
sentatives, even though it be for a
term which expires before the begin
ming of the term as senator. We do
not believe such a thing was ever done,
but we do not suppose there Is any
state or federal law against it. A SEN
ator-elect is not a member of the SEN
ate: he does not become such until his
term of office actually begins.
1t has often occurred that men in
office have been elected senators and
have continued to fill the former office
until the time for the term as senator
to begin. If that can be done, then,
surely a senator-elect can legally be
elected to an Office and can serve as
such official between the time OF his
election to the senate and the beglnn-
ing of his senatorial term.
No matter when the Mississippi leg
islature elects Mr.. Williams to the SEN
ate, is there not a possibility OF ms
serving four years more as a memDe
of the house of representatives? Ihls
should destroy the argument of his
opponents that his nomination to the
senate should preclude his election as
minority leader in the house OF repre-
sentatives next December.
By the way, this discussion reminds
us of the fact that in the election OF
minority leader, in December, 1908, OF
the last congress the North Carolina
delegation supported Mr.. Williams
with the exception of the two kitchins;
5 they were both opposed to him, and we
suppose they will again be against him
t when the matter of choosing a leader
comes up at the first session of the
nrocont cnnvresS next Minter.