Charlevoix county herald., 1911-08-12

their hearts feeling or antagonlsl to Inc poi-
icies for which their lips were asking support
1t has been held that the proceedings or con-
gress during the last eight years have been more
interesting from purely popular point Oh 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 opportunity to watch from the press gal-
lery the actions and the manners of men supposed
to be representatives of the American type as 1t
Is known to the world.
Congressman are intensely human creatures.
At the outset of their congressional there
is apt to be sort of constraint about them, but
this wears off 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 do the proceedings in town
meeting into which partisanship, jealouses human
interests sellshness and generosity and in fact
the whole collection of human excellencies and
human fangs enter. The proceedings in con-
gress and even the personal interchange0 between
the members have perhaps interest which is
above that pertaining to all other American de-
Lucrative bodies because congress in a way is
the court Of last legislative resort and there the
laws are made and unmade and there is at stake
the good of the masses.
few of the men who have figured in the de-
bates of the last few years have died, 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 partf6f the Roosevelt administration a
house leader Of the Democrats and, as some one
has called him. the reprover and adviser Of the
Republicans. Mr. Williams is a picturesque man.
1t is perhaps needless to say that the Repub-
lcans followed the gratuous and gravely
given advice of the Yazoo statesman, but they
paid passing heed to it because. from their view
point, Of the very sublimity OF the impertinence
OF the thing. 1t a goodnatured impertinence
however, ironical in substance and in manner, and
It added to the general gladness of the house de-
bates.
Mr.. Williams position as adviser in chief for
the party across the aisle reminded Of nothing
much as of the of a certain great news
paper which for years eXcoriated Grover Cleve
land edoriay 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
If Mr. Williams name were not written in the
record and if it did not appear in the directory and
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 it 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 Repub-
can chieftains in the house muttered things that
savored suspciously of imprecations at the course
'of the Mississippian, but each Republican chief
tain knew in his heart that with the party ma
jory 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 earthly chance that the con-
ferees would make report for weeks. The Re-
publican members representing the house the
committee were holding out against the senate
IN In tha Of oft
the matter of the admission of Arizona and New
Mexico one state. The Democrats of the house
desired that the bill should sxand as the senate
passed IL, and they did not approve of what they
called 'the tiringout process" which they said
was in working progress in the conference COM
mittee room.
Democratic Leader Williams therefore, largely
upon his initiative decided that he would
try TO force a report. AS a result he raised the
point OF no quorum in the house upon every pos
sibe occasion and this led TO tedious and time
losing roll calls. 1t was given out fatty that Mr..
Williams would cease his obstructive tactics the
instant the statehood report was made but Speak
Cannon and those whose hearts and souls
in the statehood fight a party matter preferred
to lose the time and to listen TO the dronng tones
of the roll call clerk rather than to surrender.
Day after day Mr.. Cannon would mount to his
seat would look the chamber and noting
the absence of a quorum would look anxousy
in the direction of the Democratic leader. The
relentless Wlnams would raise his point, and leg
islation would be blocked. One day when there
was a pltiably small attendance the speaker
counted a quorum
How did you make out?" queried Mr.. Williams
Il 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 Mississippan.
Leader Williams had an eye to the proprieties
1t was he VINO brought to melodramatlc close a
controversy between Mr.. Hepburn of Iowa and
Mr. Cooper of Wisconsin which apparently was
tending toward tragic finale Mr. Williams had
left his seat on the Democratic side to mngle
with the Republicans who had gathered about the
irate Iowan and the wrathy Wlsconsinite.
Mr. Hepburn was resenti2g the imputations that