The Washington herald., 1908-03-27
JOHN SHARP WILLIAMS.

JOHN SHARP WILLIAMS.
Minority Leader John Sharp Williams
yesterday took up the Presidents late ad-
dition TO the Congressional literature Of
our time. and in an interview blew hot,
cold. and medium warm upon that small
document.
Mr.. Williams. who cast down the gaunt-
let two days ago on the floor OF the
House, asserting that Re would not stand
for more legislation while you wait, made
it plain that those bits which the latest
message urges may become real laws if
Mr.. Roosevelt can account for a paltry
two dozen Republican Representatives.
In addition 10 this statement of condi-
tions in the House. Mr. Williams shows
the attitude Of Democracy toward the
policies outlined in the message.
As a general proposition he indorses the
recent pronouncements Of Mr.. Roosevelt
To his mind they enunciate good Demo-
cratic doctrine.
Invoke the power of the big stick, he
urges the President. and this will be con-
verted into a "do-something instead Of
"do-nothing" session of Congress.
Has Only TO Deliver.
This is the preface:
In so far as the things urged by the
President are good things 1 would like
the country TO know that all he has 10 do
IS 10 deliver twenty or thirty Republican
House votes in favor Of them. These con-
joined with the solid Democratic vote will
put them through
The Democratic party, through Mr.
Williams. announces that il has ever
been a friend of labor" Mr.. Williams
proclamation approves pending measures
prohibiting child labor; demands the pas
sage of an employers liability act; it
calls for the enactment of an anti-injunc-
tion law; . urges that wood pulp and
print paper be placed on the free list
There is also a demand for the passage
of a campaign contribution publicity bill
Mr.. Williams first praises and then con-
dernns the President. After indorsing
certain legislative propositions put for
ward by the President Mr. Williams uses
Mr.. Roosevelt's recommendations for re-
cumstances as, a text for a dissertation
on the Federal tendencies" of the admin
istration. On this point. he says:
There are other things in the Presi-
dents message one might naturally ex-
pect considering his education in the line
OF Hamiltonism, and his tendencies
toward Federalism. which cannot meet
with Democratic approval One of them
IS his idea that the Attorney General.
representing the government. should have
the right to nominate receivers when the
common carrier is thrown into the hands
of 4 receiver.
Ought to- Rest i'm Court.
'"That right ought TO rest in the court,
and not in the Executive nor in any rep
resentative Of the Executive. 1t is a
judicial proceeding. and a separation of
the judicial and Executive powers ought
to be preserved.
THE court has the right and the power
now TO avoid the evil which the President
deprecates. and any judge who would ap-
point as receiver the very man or men
the failure of whose policies may have
created the necessity of the receivership,
ought to be impeached."
Mr. Williams charges that there is no
excuse for the delay upon the part Of
the Republican members OF the House
Committee on Judiciary to report an
employers liability law
Discussing the declaration of the Pres
ident that no temporary restraining order
should be issued by a court without no.
tice, Mr.. Williams says: I am sorry that
the President could not see his way to go
one step further, and to say that where
a constructive contempt of court is COM
mitted. that is to say. a contempt not
in the presence Of the court. that the
party alleged 10 have committed it viii
be entitled to a trial by jury.
THE President said In another part of
his message that nothing should be done
TO legalize a blacklist or boycott that
would be Illegal at common law.
A Sad Commentary.
1T is a sad commentary upon this ut
terance OF his that while the Federal
courts have held that boycott was n
combination in restraint Of trade. and
therefore illegal. they have virtually up
held the employer in his assertion Of a
right to blacklist, because one Federal
court went so far as tc say that because
the employer had a right to discharge
without giving any notice at all. that.
therefore. he had a right TO discharge
because the man discharged was men,
Der OF labor union
1t is a poor rule that does not work
both ways. Another decision of a Federal
court. the decision or Judge Gould. has
gone so far as to say that labor mans
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