The National tribune., 1911-03-09
SENATOR ]. ". BAILEY.
His Resignation and Its With
drawal- Minority Leader.
ship in the Senate.

Naught else i'm the tumultuous events
of the very last Congressional hours
stirred the little world of the Capitol
more than 9the resignation in anger Of
Senator Joseph Weldon Bailey, of Tex
as. sHe is 81 most interesting. character
to washington. where his bursts of
terufter haveh frequently brought him
notdriety. One of the calmest and most
forceful dei3asers in either House of
Congress, he is also exceedingly frank
in language. . No other Senator states
his position more boldly. That always
commands admiration at Washington.
where rtheresfs so much regeneration.
But his ire flashes on many an occasion
in the Senate, and he fights back with
impetnosity.2f
There is none the less very genera,
yyashingtonsI satisfaction that the big
Texan pulled his resignation back. Men
who differ violently with him flock with
admiration to witness him in action.
No other Democrat in the Senate is
taken more into account when any big
proceeding is on. His colleague, Sem
ator Culberson. also man of recog-
niZed ability. has been the minority
leader The two have long been on
anything but amicable terms personally.
and Bailey. in some part because of
Senator Culberson's absence on account
of illness, has virtually been the minor
ity leader.
Now that John Sharp Williams, of
Mississippi, like Bailey. long a minority
leader in the House, comes 10 the Sem
ate there is much interesting conjecture
as to which of the two will enjoy SUI
premacy in that legislative branch. VIII
liams. like Bailey, is powerful and
convincing debater. A graduate of
Heidelberg and student all his mature
life, he is a more scholarly speaker,
while. Bailey is more profound. Both
have oratorical qualities that fill the
galleries and bring Senators out of the
cloakroems and corridors.
Williams aud Bailey.
Williams is a conservative. as is Bal
lev. both by training and Legislative ex-
perience He. will be the type of SEN
ator who normally would remain quiet
~ in his seat for year or two--as new
Senators used to dO-until he has be-
come accustomed to his position and
Senators had become accustomed to
him. But Western Senators have so
often smashed that tradition in recent
years, and the exigencies of the forth
coming session will be so pronounced,
that it will be little surprise if John
Sharp quickly enters the arena of Sem
ate debate. He has pronounced views
about tariff, served upon the Ways and
Means Committee of the House. and
will. naturally feel lmpeiled TO take an
active part when the tariff bills have
been sent over from the south end of
the Capitol @.~7.e sfs Et1
It will all emphasize the intellectual
primacy of Mississippi's native sons in
the Senate. Bailey. like Williams, is a
native of that State, which has prob
ably contributed more prominent men
to the public service than any other
Southern State unless it be Kentucky
or Virginia. Senator Newlands, of Ne
vada, the most yoluminous debater in
ton, who has many advanced ideas
about government, is a native MissiS-
sippian, as is Senator Chamberlain.
Democrat. of Oregon; who. attained to
a great reputation during his service as
Governor and later during his campaign
for Senator in that rockribbed Repub-
lican State. Since he came to the Sem
ate, however, Mr.. Chamberlain has
dropped out QGssight. He has not borne
a conspicuol6 part in the proceedings.
But hileMssissippi's sons>wiIl DOM
mate amonSHhe Democrats of the Sem
ate, KentucEy5s sons will dominate
among the IXll oeisats Of the House as
they have detsn done in Democratic
Congresses Wast and gone. Speaker
Champ Clark ,of Missouri, is native
Kentuclian and so is Representative
Underwood, tf: Alabama, Chairman of
Ways and Means, and, under the new
plan Of House, organization, accounted
as exexcisingf oven a greater influence
than the Spet7ser himself.