The Washington herald., 1908-04-30
]. SHARP WILLIAMS EXPORTS
Pleads with the Hard-shell Repub-
licans to Repent.
Asks that They sign Petition 10
Speaker So that Pulp
May Be Free.

When John Sharp Williams took the
/ floor Il the House yesterday 20 conclude
| general debate for the minority upon the
sundry civil appropriation bill, he pre-
sented a petition 10 the Speaker, signed
| by 162 Democrats, the total strength Of
| the minority save four who are out OF
town. asking him to recognize one Of
them. or if he preferred some Repub-
lican, 70 move suspension of the rules
and the passage OF the Stevens, or some
/ like bin, TO put wood pulp and print pa
per on the free list.
/ II was a respectful, even a humble. pc
titiOn. said Mr. Williams. as he sent ii
down the aisle by a page and had il laid
on a table that had been specially ar
ranged Then the minority leader began
a Methodist exhortation of Republicans
after the manner Of a preacher calling
sinners to repentance, begging for enough
signatures from them 10 make the total
number q majority of the House
No Republican members got heart
enough to go forward and sign the peti-
ton. but broad grins were worn on both
sides Of the House as Mr.. Williams
pleaded and pleaded again for thirty
only thirty-"good" Republicans 10 step
| forward.
about that many of your have intro
duced bills to put wood pulp and print
paper upon the free list" said Idr Will
/ Jams
why. Mr.. Chairman. the most eloquent
argument came from the gentleman from
New York. my friend (Mr. Perkins,
| There has been nothing said that reached
| # in cogency Of reason and in agrees
! siveness Of expression 10 favor OF put
| ting wood pulp and print paper upon the
/ free list.
''The Middle West. IN the person OF
/ the gentleman from Minnesota (Adr
/ Stevensl. has sounded the tocsin. too
/ And then the German-Americans we're
| represented in the person Of my friend
| (Mr. Kuestermann). who is in favor Of
| this legislation. Think Of what a short
| life we live here. and how necessary It
/ is that we should be dong things dur
\ ing this brief day of our time.
IF you do not like that petition. be-
cause my name is on IT, and the names
/ OF Champ Clark and De Almond and Tn
derwood and John Wesley Gaines and all
these vile publicans and sinners on this
side, get up one Of your own.
I'VE can add the two together, and then
] the Speaker Of the House, who is so
| tolerant Of opposition. so patient when
ever there is q stumbling block athwart
/ his pathway. will bow in his most ele-
/ CANT manner, and say, Gentlemen. a ma
| jority Of the representatives Of the Amer
| lean people have a right to have their
way, and I will recognize somebody
Let me say that the danger is not so
great as you think. 1t Is chiefly an
alarm growing out Of the gestieulatIon
and hammering OF the desk and the
voice But 4 you just march up and say
| I will for once represent my constitu-
| ents. want free wood pulp and free print
| paper and will have the courage at
! least to ask Of the Speaker to recognize
somebody upon my honor, you will come
out of 1t without any physical dlsfgure-
/ ment"
| When the recess was declared the pc
| tition was still upon the table before the
! Speaker, but with no Republican sigma
! lures thereon.