The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-10-15
Williams LUCK
WITH LAWSUITS
GENERALLY POOR
ROwIett Paine and Citizens
League Candidates Refer to
Several UnfaVOrabIe Spots
in His Record in Politics.

Rowlett Paine, candidate for mayor
OF the Citizens league, and several OF
the other candidates on his ticket. have
referred In several recent campaign
speeches TO a few OF the high spots In
j. J, Williams record OF The last 80
years, both in and out OF office.
MIR, Paine In one recent speech men
toned the ripper bill as an instance Of
Mr., Williams idea Of purnty and hon
esty In politics
]. !, Williams and friends admit that
he i@ running straight into a politicH
lawsuit In his present campaign for
mayor
OF course there Il bc no lawsuit if the
candidates OF the Citizens league are
elected, which now looks like a good
bet
one reason for the tremendous slump
in MIR, Williams chances is the very
fact that he Is trying TO prove that he
could be n citizen and voter In Missts-
sipp and a citizen and voter In Memphis
at the same time, and his admission
that IL he IL elected he viii attempt
TO show his claim to the office of mayor
in the courts.
MIR. Williams saws he is running on
his record. A politicians record Is a
dangerous possession. Mr. williams
record In political lawsuits shows nu-
merous losses. and no gains,
Record of Trickery,
The younger voters probably do no,
remember the result of his efforts to
get into the payors seat In 1907 not
through an election by the people, but
through political trlckery,
That was when, through Mr., VII
liams' influence with the Legislative
delegation from Shelby county, which
was favorable to him. he procured the
Nf IN fTinnRr
as an amendment to the city charter,
He was defeated for mayor In 1905 BY
James H. Malone. Two years later. IN
the middle OF the Malone admlnistra-
tion, J. j, Williams secured the pass
age Of the ripper bill, and was ap-
son, under the bilL which completely
destroyed the old form of government
and sought to establish council OF five
men, legislating Mayor Malone and his
associates out of office,
Mr.. Williams at that time. served aa
mayor about two months, and was thGn
thrown out Of office by decree OF the
supreme court, which declared the act
known as the ripper bill to be ihlqul-
tous vicious and UNCONSTITUTIONAL upon
II different counts,
Switched Alignment.
Mr. Williams In t,07 was In favor OF
the ripper hlll, which was In effect MI
attempt to establish a commission form
OF government, provided he could be
appointed mayor and run the city gov
ernment under II,
but a year later, in 1908. when stand
was taken by large group of business
and professional men for the. commits
sion form OF government, and legls-
lattve ticket was placed in the field,
led by the late Hayden Mckay, and
pledged to legislation that would give
Memphis real commission form Of
government. Mr. Williams lined UP with
the opposition and made one more un-
successful campaign against that plan
and the legislative ticket supporting u
That is not exactly u record Of which
the average man would be proud, but II
only covers two years OF Mr., Williams
40 years in politics. .,.-.-
Yet It seems that In spite of his poor
luck with the law, in that and many
other instances, hts only hope now IL
once more to invoke the law II he can
manage to secure his election as mayor,
knowing that he can not qualify under
the city charter,