The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1908-05-29
JOHN SHARP Will
LIAMS OF MISS.
Gets The Longest Filibuster
On Record.
His PrecariouS Leadership OF the
Democratic Minority Put
To The Test

Washington, May 2S.-Hon. John
Sharp Williams, of Mississippi, lea
der of the Democratic minority in the
House of Representatives, has the
proud distinction of being the cham
pien of all -filibusters. No other OBJ
structionist in the history of the
American Congress ever gave the DOM
inanT party SO much trouble and
discontinue. 1t is estimated ehaG
since Mr.. Williams started his plan
10 embarrass the Republicans twenty
eight full legislative days have been
consumed in filibustering.
Mr.. Williams has forced the House
to take close ON to 200 roll calls which
would not have been taken under
ordinary circumstances, and which az
somplished no purpose other than 10
consume time. Each roll-call requir,
about forty minutes, and the aver
age legislative day is five hours. You
can easily figure it ouC for yourself
how. many days have been spent in
calling the roll.
These figures are interesting. but
much more interesting is The faci tnat
the Democratic membership stood by
Williams through all the weary days
of the filibuster, though Democrats
were just as anxious as Republicans 20
get away from Washington. Few pep
pie believed'WilEams would be able 70
do It. Democrats do not take readily
10 rigid discipline, but in the instance
they stood 10 their guns without a
break in the ranks. The thing grows
still more remarkable when it is re-
called that on several occasions in the
past the minority has been on the
verge of revolt against Williams lea
dership and that the leader is hardly
on speaking terms with some of his
colleagues.
The bitterness against Williams
manifested itself early in the session
in the fist fight between Williams and
Judge David A. DeArmOnd, Of Nisslu-i
Had il NOT been for the fact that
williams has been elected to the Sen
ale and that this is his last Congress
as a member of the House, it is en-
tirely probable a movement would have
been organized TO attempt his over
throw. This, now past history, is not
recalled to the disparagemenu of Mr..
Williams, but because it makes all
the more remarkable his feat in hold
ing the minority firm for the long fill
busters against the personal incli-
nations of many Democrats and TO the
actual harm of no inconsiderable num-
Der of them.
Certainly it has disclosed in Mr..
Williams qualities of leadership which
were not brought OUT in his more
tranquil days at the head of the
House minority.
The session. by the way has been
rather prolific in revolts none of which
has come to any serious issue. The
Democrats had theirs at the begin
ming of the session and the Republic
cans toward the end.
The managers of the Republican re-
d volutions, which fizzled, however, pro-
mise big doings when Congress recon-
venes next December. They declare
that party considerations restrained
them from making too big rumpus
on the eve of the election butinsist
there has got to be showdown after
the election is over. They allege that
in holding the House 10 the legisla-
tive program they did the Republican
leaders did not truly represent the
dominant sentiment among House Re-
publicans; but that the leaders had
the machinery in their hands and to
have upset it at this time would have
been to invite party disaster. They
contend there should have been COM
promise; that they should not have
been required to make all the sacri-
fees for the sake of party harmony
And there is a steely glitter In their
eyes when they declare there will be
a reckoning after the election.
"A piece of legislation which slipped
through Congress without attracting
more than passing attention ma.
mean a great deal for American COM
merce. In the postoffice appropria-
ton bin the amount which the gov
eminent may pay for the transpor-
3ation of foreign mails was increased
by more than a billion dollars, and
there was a provision that part Of this