Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1911-08-10
Brilliant Man Is
Senate Leader
From the Boston Transcript

FROM the Boston Transcript.
John Sharp Williams-who is OF course Il
denocrat-was born on the Both day OF
Juiy. 1854. in Memphis. Tenn. shortly
thereafter his mother died, and his father,
who was colonel of the Twenty-seventli
tennessee volunteers. confederate states
army. was killed at Shiloh. Memphis was
being threatened with capture by the fed
ersl army, and there was nothing for thu
family TO do but to carry the baby sena-
tor To his mothers ancestral homestead in
Yazoo county. Mississippi. There the boy
grew mp. He was educated at private
schools. at the Kentucky military insti-
tute. at the University OF the South at
Se"anee. al the University OF Virginia
and later abroad at the University OF
Heidelberg. Germany. Coming home he
studied law In Virginia and T'ennessee.
Learning this profession he turned again
TO Mississippi. and In that state Ne has Ell
gagged In the practice of his profession
and in what he describes In his own
words as the varied pursuits OF a cotton
PLANTER. Entering politics, he was a dele
gate To the Chicago convention which
nominated Cleveland and Stephenson.
Then followed his term In the House of
Representatives. As TAR back as August.
1907. Williams was chosen by the peopla
of his state at a primary election to be ths
party's candidate for the Senate. Tha
following winter the legislature elected
Iitl w suCNeSu III. -. money, ana on ADlil
4, 1911; he took his seat. He will keep it
tn March 3. 9l7-And probably will bs
asked to take II again: or we miss our
guess.
John Sharp Williams IL a picturesque
figure. Two things make him 40. One IL
his Deafness, which in considerable and
which they say is growing upon him. Al
a result OF it he continually keeps hin
hand followed to his ear and frequently
has to ask to have IL question repeated tn
him. The other is his habit-a result,
probably of his deafness-of moving about
the Senate daring debate. Fe does not
like to sit still. He w~aiks-softly and
gracefully from his chair toward the
man whom he Ia talking at, with his right
foretinger extended and accusing his op.
ponent and with his left hand helping hin;
to hear Apparently he never for n mo-
ment thinks that he is conspicuous or pic,
turesque. nor would he. In all likelihood.
change his manner II he suspected this
awful truth. But he is one Of the few who
is pointed out by admlring democratic
bridegrooms to would-be admiring demo-
cratic brides when they visit the capital al
their country for a good summer honey
moon.
John Sharp Williams is attractive in
speech as we'll as picturesque in garb and
manner. The press gallery. that COLLEGE
>ANAA vi 1hs akO itSICIsTb, usually
fills up when the rumor passes around
that Williams Is on his feet. Williams,
you see. knows how to debate. With him
DEBATE Is not merely cOntradictinK wha.
some other fellow has said, or else appeal,
ing 10 the constitution of the United
States as the bible OF all political and eco
nomic philosophy. He debates with deft-
ness and style. He uses his tOngue-aud
his mind-as IA fencing weapon, and tha
man who Is off his guard Is sure TO geu
pink ed.
John Sharp Williams speaka with vigor.
humor and sense. three qualities not al
ways found In working harmony. Hts
style Is q running one-it carries you and
his ideas swiftly and pleasantly along on
Its current. Especially brilliant have been
his gibes at the throes OF protection which
have been writhing all this hot summer
long in the Senate. MIR. Williams attend
ed finance committee hearings pretty
faithfully, and in a minority report rec
ommending the bill he said: when
want two things. l want both, but IL I
cant have both. then + want the one l can
get. Not only is IL true that I would, az
original propositions. favor most OF tho
amendments Ito reciprocity offered, but
I could easily write down several thou
sand others that 1 would like to put upon
the statute books. reducing the burden
OF tariff taxation upon the people. But :
see no particular sense in refusing to
shoot a rattlesnake because 1 cannot at
the same time shoot an anaconda. This Is
especially true III the anaconda IS not
within effective gun range"