Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-12-01

atty which IS now becoming pretty wen
known to the country. His SLOUGH hat, in
differently fitting suit of clothes, which no
tailor ever made, the inevitable cigar and
ready smile are not to be forgotten by any
body who ever saw them. But TO know Can
non at his best 10 understand the secret of
his popularity, one should sit down for an
hours talk with him alone. Mr.. Cannon has
a very winning, a fetching way. He is as
approachable as a street car, and as plain and
honest as the horse that draws it, His voice
Is as soft and slken as the thin locks Of hair
which struggle over the top of his head. His
eyes as blue a spring sky, and warm
and friendly. Cannon is not an orator. In his
public speeches he lacks fire and enthusiasm.
He Is one Of the few men who reserve their
dor, their magnetism, for private converse
ton. If Cannon were to speak III public as
he speaks in private his fame as an orator
would cover the country
In conversation with a friend Mr. Cannon
quickly grows luminous and incandescent.
He shines and CLOVIS. More than this, his en-
thusiasm has a sort of physical ardor about
1.-THE impulse of the wooer. He cannot re-
sist the inclination TO seize the person of his
listener. He may grasp leg and give it a
hearty squeeze to emphasize each good stroke
in the argument. Or he may put one hand
upon his friends shoulder and the other
around his waist. He pinches and hugs. He
brings his blue eyes, aglow with earnestness
and sincerity, close to the eyes of his subject
Thus he becomes positively contagious. 1t is
a saying In the house, or at least among the
veterans who know him pretty well, that if
Joe Cannon can get half hour with man
and chance to put his arm around him he
will convince him white is black. Yet Cam
non is not without guile. He is as foxy as he
can be.
Cannon is somewhat like Blaine in his fond
ness for putting his arm on mems shoulders.
That is favorite trick of the secretary Of
states, one which has brought him hosts of
admirers, and which he will never outgrow.
Veteran Washington observers say Blaine's
charming conversational power gave him the
speakership of the house, the high post to
which Cannon is now aspiring. 1t seems a
long time ago in the history of the country
when Mr.. Blaine was first elected speaker,
and yet here he is, still in high government
place, and a prodigious worker, notwith
standing the condition of his health, which is
anything but robust / am told the secretary
does fair days work at the state depart
ment and another after reaching home.
This means late hours, for his dinner is taken
leisurely, and the demands of society upon
his time are by no means inconsiderable.
Yet every effort is made by the secretary's
family and official assistants to save him la
Dor and time.
Walker Blaine wins much admiration for
the tender and thoughtful manner in which
he acts as his fathers valet and prompter.
When it is time for the secretary to go to
lunch, Walker goes to his room and reminds
him of the fact When it is time to stop
work and go home to dinner, Walker goes
into the secretary's room and calls out:
Father, it is time to so to dinner" Then
they drive away together. l am told Mr.
Blaine would not stop for either diner or
lunch if his son did not call for him. He be-
comes so much engroSsed in his work that he
takes little note of the flight of time. AS he