The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1911-07-28
JOHN SHARP WILLIAMS
REAL PARTY LEADER,
His Rise In Politics Could Not be
Stemmed.
BY r. ii. GATES.

Washington, July Beginning with
his first service in the house Of repre-
sentatives OF tn. fifty-third congress
and to his entrance into the United
states senate, as junior senator from
Mississippi, Jrhn sharp Williams
career has been a brilliant exemplifica
tion of the homely phrase, "Ynu can't
keep good man down" With the first
lap OF his six years term in the senate
yet unfinished, Mr.. Williams has gained
a position in the greatest legislative
body on earth" which has caused him
to be regarded as the real leader of the
minority, whose titular head is Thomas
Staple. Martin Of Virginia. There is
no other place in the ranks for John
Sharp Williams. His position in every
legislative battle is at the front, as
there he Fl DIS the easiest and the
incest adjustment. In his sixteen
years service in the house. six years
Of which time he was the minority
leader, ne was never routed in debate.
This d es not mean that in every
debate in which be engaged was a
waterloo for his antagonist, but no
member who served in the house with
Mr.. Williams has preserved as trophy
even small piece of his scalp. In some
encounters he failed to take scalp. but
in no mixu did he ever lose any of
his own Uranium covering.
Speaking the other day of the sharp
tilt in the senate between Mr.. Williams
and Mr.. Bailey, which was a clash of
superb intellects, Represer tative Nc
Call, Of Massachusetts,, himself a
scholar and an able speaker. said that
John Sharp Williams was the ablest
catch as cat ch-can debater the house
has had in fifty years. Former Senator
John c. Spooner of Wisconsin, several
years ago added his testimony to the
splendid ability of Mr. Williams in de-
bate by declaring him to be the great
es' cough and tumble debater in any
par. ,mentarv body in the world.
Stands In Limeiight.
Although he has been in the senate
9ess than four months, Mr.. Williams has
been engaged in debates which have
fixed the attention of the nation upon
him as force in the public discussion
OF great legislative issues. His first
noteworth clash was with Senator
Bailey of Texas on the free raw
material proposition. Mr.. Bailey con-
tending with his usual forensic skill
skill. that the manufacturer should not
be permitted to buy his raw material
free unless he was made to sell the
finished product minus duty. Whether
the free raw material doctrine is
historically Democratic was the issue
of the Williams Bailey debate about
which senators and representative are
still talking, The popular verdict of
that titanic struggle is that it was a
draw.
The next debate that focused raticn-
wide attention upon Mr.. Williams was
his brilliant victory over Senator Hey
burn Of Idaho, whose intense hatred of
everything associated with the South
ern Confederacy impe lied him to OPP
pose resolution which MIR. Williams
had offered to keep James Jones. the
old and decrepit body guard of Jeffar.
son Davis on the senate pay roll. For
years Jones has been employed about
old negro who enjoys the esteem anc
respect of all who now him, is nov
able to perform the duties that we're
required of him in his days of nnim
paired strength and health. That NJ,
Williams should interest himself in jim
Jones was perfectly natural, as will b.
shown in what follows. Mr.. Williams
grandfather on his mothers side wa,
senior captain of Company A. of tn,
celebrated First Mississippi Rifles o
the Mexican war, commanded by Jeffer
son Davis, afterwards president of tn,
Southern Confederacy. Capt. Sharl
and Mr.. Davis were warm and intimat
friends until death separated them
Hence there is something more thai
Civil War memories that attach MI
Williams to the seat in the senate whic
Jefferson Davis occupied when he va
member Of that body from Mississippi
and to has old slave and servant Jir
Jones. But this sentiment did not ar
peal to the senator from Idahn, who ga,
in the resolution TO keep Jim Jnnes q
the senate pay roll an oppo, tuniry t
sluf the South and the Cpafederac,
Mr. Hey burn had not siurred but a litts
while until he had drawn upon himse
the terrific ire OF the famous Jon
Sharp Williams batteries before whic
even greater and Drawer men have gnn
down Co the dust. The Congression,
Record consains IA authentic accour
os the (Jones) debate.
Castallan Springs Hotel.