The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-12-27
Average Congressmen.

Your Uncle Joe Cannon was in
talkative mood yesterday and let off
some wholesome philosophy in the pres
ence of the reporters. Speaker Cannon
is an optimist and this is the season
for hearing from optimists. AS one
looking on the hopeful side it is in
cumbent upon Mr.. Cannon to show
that the present is not inferior to the
past in either men or morals. An old
man with a young spirit, Mr.. Cannon
is quite the person to testify on this
subject. His experience has covered a
good many years Of public. life and his
recollections, gathered from men who
were going off the public stage as he
came on, carry him still farther back.
From this mine Of experience Mr..
Cannon brings forward for the use of
the present generation message of
hopefulness. Particularly applying him.
self to the defense Of the house e of
representatives, Speaker Cannon de-
clared his belief that it was as much
a representative Of the people as it
ever was. The people also were Just
as capable Of righting their own wrongs
and settling with their public serv.
ants as they ever were. He took nc
stock in the big man idea in politics
and admitted that no man ever got
so big that the people could not wipe
him off the map SO effectually that he
would be forgotten. -.
He instanced the case of William j
Brown. Brown was a big <man in his
time, but who knows anything about
William j. Brown now? He is forgotten
| except by few antiquaries in con
gressional biography. But Brown J i!
the man who induced congress to make
the first appropriation for the construc
ton Of telegraph line from Wash
ington to Baltimore.
1t hardly fits in with Mr.. Cannon's
theory that the people are capable, o,
dealing with their public servants tina
Brown was defeated for reelection be
cause of his crazy appropriation O.
public money to "send messages b,
ightning.' And yet it does not con
tradict it, either. The lesson seems to b
that congressman must not be too muc]
ahead Of or behind their times. TIL
people do not tolerate slowness, neithe
do they approve of excessive smartnes
in their legislators. Conservatism i
more in demand than push. The emo
good' congressman lasts longer tina
the too-good' one. The ideal cor
| gresham is the one who ambles alon
apace with the people. Your Uncle 10
Cannon is an ideal congressman. H
opposed the identifying of Washington
under the great scheme of commits
sion Of architects. tho he was willin
to appropriate money to put up publ
buildings. Your. Uncle Joseph correctl
gagged the temper of the people wit
regard to Washington. So few of the1
live there that they do not care an
more about building line easements i
Washington than about canals on Mar
It is the shrewd congressman VIII
learns to draw the line between wha
the people want done and what the
are likely to H'raise Ned' about afte
it is done. The Cannon brand Of COZ
gresham has sixth sense which save
it from going to extremes in oppositio
or in advocacy.
4 While we admire our brilliant state
men, our Websters, Clays and Sumner
we must admit that the system of OF
politics rests not SO. much. on them {
it does on the Cannons, Holmans, Hit
Hepburns, Boutells, Stevenses and the
kind which keeps ahead, but not tc
far ahead.
Il Beginning with the LIST Of January tt
bureau of statistics In the department
commerce and labor will issue a series
| articles in its bulletin service on the tra6
of the United States with the princip
, countries, beginning with the Unite
Kingdom. The bulletin will show whs
has been the trade Of the United State