Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-12-18

collea CUES on this most important commit
tse have sassey rs ssd. the the
the purpose Of throwing the weight of the
on whom the club can depend. 1 visited
and had a long conference relative to the
situation. He asked me what we wanted.
and I told him ~ desired 70 have the
money IN the freasa a appropriated as fast
certain committees chairmanships; that we
wanted certain Improvements in the city
OF washington: that. we were not satisfied
to build new ont. ana. Mr. President ssa
told him we wanted chairmanships, and
good ones, too. He pondered over the mat
ter for some little time and ct last he con-
Mr. Babcock Of wisconsin,: tApplause.)
British Affiliate,
The President-'tMembers of the Tantalus
Club. we have with us tonight Sir Michael
Herbert, the ambassador from Great Brit
ain to the United States, and the chair will
recognize him for ten minutes IL the gem
tlemAn from West Virginia (Mr. Gaines)
will YIELD
Mr.. Gaines Of West Eirglnie-"1 yield to
Sir Michael Herbert-'tMr. President and
Gentlemen Of the Tantalus Club thank
you for the opportunity given me to speak,
but was once told by very old diplomat
that if a man desired to remain in the dip
lomatic service he should never make a
speech. This precltides my speaking this
evening. or OBTAINING you longer than the
distinguished gentleman from West Vir-
gfnia. I have a confession to make, Mr.
President + read the Congressional Rec
ord every morning ecries of 'Horror! from
ho ld6l t. ho
cause I want to know all of your members.
1t is said in London that Ambassador
Choate is acquainted with twp-thirds of the
members Of the house of commons. / want
to know all of you, and IL please you half
as much as you please me am sure will
know all Of you before the beginning of the
next session. In my readings of the Record
Mr.. President, have frequently seen In
parenthesis the words. here the hammer
fell In order to prevent such thing oc-
curing here 1 want to thank you again
and resume my seat.
The president: 1T appears to me, gentle
men Of the Tantalus Club, that we have
heard from many persons interested in the
speakership contest to the exclusion of one
Of the most interested parties in the matter
the Speaker himself. 1 Will recognize for
ten minutes the Speaker Of the House OF
Representatives. if :, the gentleman from
West Virginia (Mr. Gaines) will yield
Force Of Habit.
Mr. Gaines CIV. va): Il yield to the
Speaker of the House. of Representatives"
The Speaker made an eloquent address, IN
which he discussed the quafifica tions of all
those who had been suggested for the Office
of Speaker by the previous speakers. He
spoke of Burton, Babcock Dalzen. Little
field and Payne, each in his turn, being put
aside as having more important work to
perform for the country than is involved in !
the speakershp. There Is one man, he said,
who he believed can be spared from his
mr.
House of Representatives, and Mr.. Hender-
son placed in nomination the name Of Mr..
Nevin of Ohio, member of the Tantafus
Club. .
Mr.. Currier IN. HI: Mr. President, there
is one Of our number Who is about to EN-
bark on the tempestous seas Of matrimony.
Tomorrow night he will take unto himself
bride. The work he has performed in the
House of Representatives for the last TIVE
years willsgiye~ HIM courage fornthe duties
he is about to assume, for such an expert
everything. must make him patient nus
band. MIR. President, Iymove you that we
drink the health Of Hen. Spenser Black
burn Of North Carolina" (The toast was
The Speaker: .eMr. President"
The president: The gentleman from
Iowa."
Fair Flower Of Womanhood.
The Speaker: .'lars President, rise to
propose the health o. that fair flower of
womanilood who Is about to become the
wife Of our young friend, whom 1 have
known from childhood. and than whom is
none more tender or virtuous or loving. I
propose the future Mrs Spenser Black
burn" (This toast was drunk standing)
The president: 1T appears to the chair
that the gentlemen named by the commit
tee on speakership should have something
: to say regarding the manner In which their
names were used. and it appears to me no
nrn fho hot dcbn ritrnh
a chance to press personally their claims
for the high office, so that the Tantalus Club
may Judge for itself the most available of
them -.-s-- +
Each of the candidates mentioned, there
fore, except Mr.. Babcock, who was prevent
ed from attending. made a short speech, in
which each declined the nomination and
suggested the name Of Mr.. Cannon Of Hill
nois. At the conclusion of the speeches the
president addressed the chairman of the
committee on speakerShip.
The President-Will the gentleman from
West Virginia inform me If there was not
some mention made of Mr.. Cannon in dis
cuSsing the question in committee? Did
not some member of the committee suggest
him as candidate?
Mr.. Gaines CIV Va.)-Not one. The name
Of Mr.. Cannon was spoken Of in general
way. but was not for "a moment given sert-
GUS consideration.
Mr.. Nevin-Mr. President.
The President-The gentleman from Ohio.
"Uncle Joe" the contest One"
Mr.. Nevin-Mr. President, I desire to pre-
sent report from the special committee
appointed to consider the speakership.
When found that the committee appointed
to consider this great question could pre-
sent nothing but minority reports, L de-
cided to make my own Investigations, and
was therefore appointed select committee
to consider the speakership. l held several
meetings, and in my deliberations have
come to the Conclusion that the only avail
able candidate for the Office who could be
spared to succeed the gentleman from Iowa
Is the gentleman from Illinois, Mr.. Joseph
G. Cannon. Great applause)
The President-The"ch chair desires to state
that 1t views the proposed candidacy of Mr..
Cannon with some favor. Before putting
the matter to a vote, however. / would like
to hear what Mr.. Cannon can promise the
Tantalus Club. The chair viii recognize
the gentleman from Illinois, Mr.. Cannon.
Mr.. Cannon-Mr. President, hardly know
where to begin this evening. l came to
It'd n fpp