Evening star., 1923-03-11

without the aid OF press agents, made
a name for himself in the H'flse OF
Representatives and the United States
Senate that will live for ma ~ years;
a name that will live in tae history
nf his native state. thG1 will be
spoken OF with awe and Reverence by
the generations that foil Aw when the
statesman of Yazoo shay have passed
from this vale of teark.
II Is not often In. this world OF
hurry and hustle thRt there appears
before the public a. man who is con-
tent to let his ligiSt be hidden under
eushel, but Jqtn Sharp Williams
carsa naught ftAr the glitter OF the
center Of the frage. lie fought for
what he thought was the right. and
once he buckxed on his arlnor his
antagonists. after the smoke OF bat
lie had cleayed away, as a rule We're
% DO found prone in the arena.
The man who has just retired was
y many-syled person, a statesman of
parts. am idealiss. u man who could
wfen tlse occasion demanded searoh
ia tha very marrow of a question to
ind q practical solution Of what ap.
fosared to be a problem of vexatious
.
enjoyment OF the things that he
liked, a fergiving fighter, and he
despised anything that sagered of
<sllam. He loved books. and often
when the duties OF the day were suel.
that he could be spared from the leg
slatiye halls YOU could find him
browsing around the library or sit
ing by a window in his office read
jv,c.
lighter vein. at other times works
student of literature.
: $: !, i
LIS boyEood days were spent in
l. l. studying. and those who knew
him as youth still ta.l6 Of the brill
liant mind that young John Sharp"
Lad as boy. He attended private
schools before enteEtlg the Kentucky
Military Institute, and upon leaving
hat seat of learl/ng entered the Uni
sersity OF the South, going from there
% the UniverHty of Virginia After
graduating Srom that institution he
went abroad and snatriculated al the
University of Heidelberg, Germany.
It was At this place thai he gave
much Ime to the study OF the clas-
sics. He studied with care the writ
ings OF the greatest minds Of the
old World and took upon his shoul-
derS the task OF putting into one
coVrse what usually took ten years
TOR others to master
Cpon his graduation he took up the
study of law under Profs. Minor and
Southall at the University Of vir-
ginta. and upon completing this
course entered the Office OF Harris.
Hckisick & Turiey. After being ad-
mitted to practice, in 1877. he moved
20 fazoo City and took up the prac-
ice OF his profession. At the same
time he supervised the running OF a
cotton plantation.
IT was not long before the people
Of that section of the state began to
Talk asDout the brilliant young lawyer
that was winning case after case. and
WHEN the old-time political war
ih1rses OF the state were cunning
around for bright young man to
be one OF the delegates to the con-
Sention that nominated Cleveland
and Stevenson, one who would cast
honor upon the delegation, they Sc
really the beginning OF his political
career.
: In 1904 he was made temporary
chairman OF the democratic national
convention, and then came the be-
ginning OF a long term OF service in
the halls OF Congress. He was elect
ed to the Fif,y-third to Fifty-ninth
Congresses. and upon reelection to
me Sixtieth received every vote that
was cast. In the Fif.y-eigth. Fifty
ninth and Sixtieth Congresses he was
chosen BY his parry as their candidate
for Speaker-honored thrice. Il record OF
which any man in public life might
we'll be proud
In 1907 he was chosen by the dem
ocratic party to make the race for
the seat that had been held by Sena-
Tor fernando L. Money. and was elect
ed to that Office. He was renominated
when his term expired. and reelected
+. to the Senate for the term beginning
March 4. 1917, this time again with
out opposition. He was a delegate
to the Baltimore convention that
nominated Woodrow Wilson.
< Il x =
"a lbS S@SC o' AEOO NllS AL 81
w came to Congress he used TO sit
ii his seat and watch the perform
ance as a spectator. He was not
asleep; he was merely getting the
hang of how they did things He had
not been there many months when he
arose to make speech for something
that was for the benefit Of tho con-
i gressional district that he represent
7 ed. A republican. noticing the slen
1 der young man with southern drawl
Land long. curly hair. thought that he
lfWould have some fun with the new
member and proceeded to give him
good-natured f,azins.
I'LL Williams listened 10 his adversary
lwtith polite attention, and then he un-
Numbered. and inside Of ten minutes
he had the House in roar OF laugh
ter at the one who had baited him
HE took, nguratively. the hide off OF
the republican and stood him up t.
the unfeelins gaze Of the members Of
shIe House. He fiayed him with
IASw of language that was nothing
but the purest Of English: tied him
ESt, knots, bowknots and double bow
Issnots, and when he took his seat the
EEeputation Of John Sharp Williams as
Eai fighter had been made. It was
iraany q day before any member Of
lkhe opposition had the temerity to
lEackle him in debate.
WlHDuring the days when the republi-
Esans were introducing the system
EEhat their opponents called the steam
Etoller'' method williams caused said
tlnachine to list heavily upon more