Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1918-04-18
WILLIAM A. jones DEAD
Veteran Virginia Congressman Had
Served Twenty seven Years in the
House Of Representatives

Served Twenty-seven Years in the
House Of Representatives.
representative William A. Jones, OF
Warsaw, Va, died in Washington yes
i terday from the effects of stroke OF
paralysis suffered more than week
ago. He was SO years ola and his
death is the seventh among mnmbcrs
Of the House of Representative dur
ing the sixty-fifth Congress.
Death did not come to Representa-
tive Jones until he had realized the
ambition of his Congressional career
self f-government and ultimate free
dom of the Philippine Islands. For IS
years Mr.. Jones had worked in am
out season for the freedom of thC
! Fiiipinos, and six months age Con-
gress enacted the Jones independence
bill. Il am happy now," said Mr..
Jones shortly after Congress passed
his bill, "and would retire from Con-
grcss but for the fact | think it is
my duty to remain here on account
OF our entry in the war"
/ Mr.. Jones sprang from distin-
guishcd Virginia ancestry. He was q
connection of Lighthouse Harry" Lee,
of Revolutionary fame, and wore until
his death watch charm which had
been the property of the Revolutionary
warrior. He was born at Warsaw, Va
;on March y, 1S49, and was the sOr
of the late Thomas and Ann Trow-
bridge Jones. He entered the Vir
ginia Military Institute in 1864 ans
served with the cadets in the defense
of Richmond. After the Civil War h.
attended Coleman's School at Fred
ericksburg, and later graduated from
! the University of Virginia Law School
He began the practice Of law at War
saw and took an active interest il
E; politics from the start. He was Com
monwealth's Attorney Of his count!
for several terms and was a delegate
to the Democratic National Ccnvcr
! tions of 1892. 1896 and 1900.
Mr.. Jones was first elected to Con
gress in 1891 and at once attracted at
tcntion for his courage and hoidness
Mr.. Jones had served more years
continuously in the House than an!
other present member. Speaker
Thomas 3. Reed blocked his ambition
to be the ranking Democrat. The Vir-
ginian earned the undying hatred OF
the Maine statesman by caustic ana
bold attack on him. About 20 ycars
ago the House had up a .bill,to com
pensate General Sibley, a Confederate
officer, for royalties on his army tent.
General Siblcy invented the tent whcr
in the United States army, and Svhem
thej Civil War came he Joined the Con
federacy.t
Mr.. Jones was fearless and indie
pendent in politics. He was one of
the first men in his State to champion
the nomination of Woodrow Wilson
for President in 1912.
Mr. Jones belonged to the old school
of Southern statesmen. He was hon-
est, straightforward and courageous.
When he played politics he played in
the open. If he opposed man for
Office, he opposed him openly and told
him so if the man asked his position
Mr.. Jones health began to fail about
six vars ago, following a strenuous
camaign for the United States Sena-
torship against Senator Martin, when
he stumped the whole State. About
a year later he suffered an attack of
rheumatism which yielded to treat
ment last winter for the first time.