The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-04-30
Williams Presents Plea to.
Speaker to Have Free Pulp
Bill Taken Up.
THINKS EVEN CANNON
WOULDHEED MAJORITY
In Speech Filled with Hunlor and
Sarcasm, Democratic Leader
Lays Paper Before the House
and Urges Members ia
Sign - Indians Not
Treated Fairly.
~- WASHINGTON. April 2o.-John
Sharp Williams to-day gave
NV the Republican majority in
wv the House an onnortunftv

~- YASHINGTON, April 29.-John
Sharp Williams to-day gave
NV the Republican majority in
" the House an opportunity
to either permit or refuse to
Hpermit vote on the Stevens bill to
place wood pulp on the free list. In
Inc course OF clcverly humorous and
tSatirical speech, he unrolled and held
up to View the following petition to
! Speaker Cannon. bearing the signatures
ot l64 OF the 166 Democratic members:
We, the undersigned. represen-
tatives In Congress. request each
Tor himself and each for each OF
the others. that you recognize one
OF us, or. II you prefer, some other
representative. to move to dis
charge the Committee on Ways and
Means from further consideration
of, and to suspend the rules and
pass the Stevens bill. or any other
bill having the effect to put wood
pulp and print paper on the free
list"
Mr.. Williams said that the two DEM
ocratic members whose names were not
appended to the petition were out of
town. but efforts were being made to
reach tmem by wire: when their sigma
/ tures would be added. only thirty Re-
publican names would be needed to
swell the strength OF the petition to
the proportions of majority request,
which Mr.. Williams said. with good
natured sarcasm. he felt sure the
Speaker would heed.
Must Make Use Of Time. 4
After saying that only thirty Re-
pubiicans were necessary to make up
the required number to pass the bill.
Mr.. Williams declared that 1t should be
easy to get them. because almost thirty
Republicans had introduced free paper
bills, and. he said. II know that every
ono OF you who introduced bill
meant what you said" 80
Quoting the lines from the old hymn /;
while the lamp holds out to burn
The vilest sinner may return.
Mr.. Williams proceeded: III you have
been In any manner bulldozed. why
think for a second; think what a short
life we live here. and how necessary
1t Is we should be doing things While
we are living during this brief day OF
our time. expect. aye, hope, that at
least thirty OF you may sign petition.
II you do not like that petition because
my name is on it. and the names OF
Champ Clark and De Almond and Un-
derwood and John Wesley Gaines and
all these vile publicans and sinners on
u. y
can add the two together. IT thirty
of you see fit to sign. the Speaker can
not refuse. because you. together with
us, will then constitute majority OF
the House Of Representatives.
Must Heed Majority.
"Early in the session, when the rules
were being adopted. the Speaker was
asked IL majority of the House made
a request to the Speaker whether that
request would be needed. and his reply.
as I remember it, was: "A majority OF
the House Of Representatives Will al
ways be needed by the Speaker
$50, If you put thirty names there to
pur 1853 and constitute 196-a majority
of the House OF representatives.
know that the eminently good-natured
man who presides over this House. who
As SO tolerant OF opposition, SO patient
Whenever there is a -block
Rthwart his pathway, will bow IN ms
most elegant manner, with the sestcu-
lation that is peculiar to him. and say:
Gentlemen, majority of the repre-
rentatives of the American people have
a right to have their way, and Will
recognize somebody"
A table had been placed on the floor
In front OF the stenosrapher's bench.
and on 1t the petition was spread. with
Rankings Of ink bottle and pen. while
the minority leader, Stimulating the
voice and manner Of a revivalist. ex-
iorted the Republicans to rise and go
forward and sign UP, pleading for
sthirty.'
. "Are there not thirty who will come
iYorth?" he concluded. amid hand-clap-
,pinE and laughter.
& Z.