Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1911-07-26

n e1E99G political parties nave 40
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Qp44( clared fealty to tho cause
Of advanced legislation, Ok
: o&H though 1t 10 perfectly true
hl..'k that few Of them have
s. ~ - preferred reaction to pro-.
~ gresSion az q text, and
=. -: So -: that aome Of these who
have spoken on behalf OF
one cause have boon suspected Of holding IN
their hearts ! feeling Of antagonism to the pol
icies for which their lips were asking support.
It has been held that the proceedings OF con-
gress during the last eight years have been more
interesting from purely popular point OF view
than the proceedings Of any other congress since
the time prior to the great Civil war. During
the Roosevelt and Taft administrations there has
been an opportunity to watch from the press gal
lery the actions and the manners Of men supposed
to be representatives Of the American type as It
IL known to the world. 3
Congressman are intensely human creatures.
At the outset Of their congressional careers there
Is apt to be sort Of constraint about them. but
this wSars on and the proceedings in either hall
Of the capitol, although they have to do ordinarily
with matters Of great moment to the people. run
along very much as do the proceedings in town
meeting into which partisanship tealousies, human
interests, seldshness and generosity and In fact
the whole collection OF human excellencies and
human failings enter. The proceedings In con-
gross and even the personal interchangeo between
tu0 m0uUelb nave perhaps al interest WHICH -
above that pertaining to all other American de-
Lucrative bodies because congress in a way Ii
the court Of last legislative resort and there the
laws are made and unmade and there is at stake
the good Of the masses
A few Of the men who have figured in the de.
bates Of the last few years have died, some of
them have been promoted from one house to an.
other and some Of them have been denoted to
private life but their names are known to the
people,
John Sharp Williams Of Mississippi who, has
just entered the senate Of the United States was
during part OF the Roosevelt administration
house leader Of the Democrats and as some one
has called him, the reprover and adviser Of the
Republicans. Mr. Williams is picturesque man
It is perhaps needless to say that the Repub-
licans never followed the gratuitous and gravely
given advice Of the Yazoo statesman, but they
paid passing heed to it because. from their view
point, of the very sublmity of the impertinence
of the thing. 1t was good-natured impertinence.
however, ironical in substance and in manner. and
1t added to the general gadness Of the house de-
bates
Mr. Williams position as adviser In chief for
the party across the aisle reminded Of nothing
SO much as Of the course Of a certain great news.
paper (which for years, -excoriated Grover Cleve-
land editorially on Mondays, Wednesdays and
Fridays while on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Satur.
days It gave the same amount Of space to the
telling Of Mr.. Cleveland what he must do to save
the country. Sunday was the one day Of peace
II MIR. Williams name were not written in the
record and II 1t did not appear in the directory and
on the framework of his congressional desk, one
third Of it speedily would be lost to sight and
memory, for Democrats and Republicans and the
Washington populace without the walls Of the
capitol hail him to his face and speak Of him
behind his back as John Sharp
Had 1t not been for Mr.. Williams one year con.
gress would have adjourned before June was tread
ing upon the heels Of July. Some Of the Republi-
can chieftains In the house muttered things that
savored suspicously Of imprecations at the course
Of the Mississippian, but each Republican chief.
tain knew in his heart that with the party ma
jority reversed and with legislation circumstances
similar, he would have acted as did the Democrat
Of the Yazoo district
The statehood bill was in conference and there
appeared to be no earthly chance that the con-
ferees would make report for weeks The Re.
publican members representing the house on the
committee were holding out against the senate
members in the hope Of getting concession on
the matter ~of the admission of Arizona and New
Mexicoaas one state. The Democrats of the house
desired that the bill should stand as the senate
passed it. and they, did not approve Of what they
called a"the tiringout process" which they said
was in working progress in, tho conference COM
mittee room.
Democrats Leader Williams therefore. largely
upon his own Initiative, decided that he would
Try 10 lOIC0 y report. AS 3 result ne raised the
point Of no quorum in the house upon every pos.
sible occasion, and this led to tedious and time
losing roll calls It was given out fatty that Mr..
Williams would cease his obstructive tactics the
instant the statehood report was made. but Speak
er Cannon and those whose hearts and souls were
IN the statehood fight as party matter preferred
to the time and to listen to the droning tones
of the roll call clerk rather than to surrender
Day after day Mr. Cannon would mount to his
seat. would look over the chamber and noting
the absence Of q quorum would look anxiously
in the direction Of the Democratic leader. The
relentless Williams would raise his point and leg
islation would be blocked One day when there
was pitiably small attendance the speaker
counted quorum.
"How did you make out? o. queried Mr. Williams.
81 counted in blocks Of ten" said Mr.. Cannon,
and business went on but the counting game,
which was an improvement on the Indiana blocks
Of five system was checked the next day by the
alert Mississippian So
Leader Williams had an eye to the proprieties.
It was he who brought to a melodramatics close q
controversy between Mr. Hepburn Of Iowa and
Mr.. Cooper Of Wisconsin which apparently was
tending toward q tragic finale. Mr.. Williams had
left his seat on the Democratic side to mingle
with the Republicans who had gathered about the
irate Iowan and the wrathy Wisconsinite.
# Mr.. Hepburn was resenting the imputations that
Wolves Of Bleak L,