Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-06-19

to have the experience. which the position
of floor leader would give him during the
short session next winter. As to the DEM
ocratic outlook, Mr.. Williams expresses
the belief that should the pending cam
paign be fought on the issues made In
the last session of Congress the party
would be successful at the polls. .
Mr.. Williams Letter.
Mr. Williams letter follows:
Washington, June -, 1908.
Hon. Henry D. Clayton, Chairman Demo-
cratic Caucus. Eufaula. Ala.
Dear Henry: l write this letter to you
as my resignation of the position of par
liamentary floor leader for the minority,
the resignation to take place upon the
first Monday of December following this
date. l have been thinking about it a
good deal. and it seems to me that If the
next House goes democratic. whoever is
going to be Speaker of that House ought
to have at least the training of the last,
or short. session Of this Congress. not only
to fit him for its parliamentary duties but
also to make a more intimate acquaint-
ance with the personnel on the democratic
side than he. perhaps. otherwise might
have. If. upon the other hand, the next
House shall be republican, the preliminary
training will be just as necessary in order
to tit him for the very arduous duties of
leadership during the Sixty-first Congress.
l have not consulted any of my friends
about resigning for fear they might at
tempt to dssuade me, and my opinion of
the absolute correctness of the position
which / am taking is so clear that l did
not want either to be dissuaded or to APP
pear obstinate towards them.
Due to His Impaired Health.
need not tell you, % course. because
you know it, how much I shall personally
welcome the release from hard work and
from the limelight. AS you and some per-
sonal friends know. l would. because Of
the condition of my health. have laid
down the work before this. but for the
appearance of quitting while under
fire" j would not. however. permit the
prospect of the work alone to make me
quit if that were all. 1 am actulted sole
~ by the idea that tn, course l am TAX
ing is best for the party.
In sending in the resignation this early,
SO that you can have 1t published. instead
of waiting until next December, 1 have
been actuated by the ldei that it was
fair only to the members of the party
that they should have time between now
and then fully to consider whom they
wanted to succeed me.
l have nothing but good feeling for all
the democrats in the House l am Glad
that in laying down the weapons with
which they have armed me 1 can do so
with the recollection that the last Con
gres was one almost unprecedented in
and unity of purpose on the democratic
| size.
The Next Campaign.
| If the next campaign could be fought
simply upon the issues made in this last
fsesson of Congress, I would have no sort
! of doubt of democratic success. No mat
| ter what the isues may be and how
| things will turn out, we will have the
recollection of having stood shoulder to
shoulder with one another. and we can
now. with great reason. entertain strong
nation. Whether we earn success at the
| polls next November or not, we have de-
served it. and that is all that poor NOR
tails can do. They cannot compel Fate.
| l sincerely hope, and express The hope
| to you and to the democratic caucus, thas
the tide Of Capitalization and of federal
| usurpation of governmental power has
seen it's height, and is now on the ebb.
| With thanks for cooperation and a
| personal affection that I do not feel con-
scious of having deserved, l am,
Very truly yours.
| The democratic caucus will be held inn
mediately upon the gathering Of Congress
in December. Representative Champ
| Clark will be selected. beyond reasonable
doubt for just prior to adjournment a
poll of the democrats in the House re-
| vealed the fact that he had more Than d
majority for the place
Mr. Clark it is considered, will make q
| worthy successor of the brilliant John
Sharp Williams. He is reSOurcefui. thor.
! oughly grounded in parliamentary prOce-
| due and has a vein of rich humOr and a
streak of caustic that can make the OPP
\