Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-12-26
At THE WHITE HOUSE
Speaker Cannon Furnishes
the Only News Item.
TALKS OF TIE HOUSE.
1T IS STILL A REPRESENTATIVE
BODY OF THE PEOPLE.
Men Are Better Than Their Grand
fathers, Better Physically, Men
tally and Morally.

But 70 rthe fact that Uncle Joe" can
non ambled up to the White House today,
accompanied by his inseparable cigar,
placed at just the right angle in his mouth,
there would have been nothing for the
newspaper men to write about. The Presi-
dent had quit the White House early in
the morning-gone to the country for
horseback ride-and the prospects of news
We're anything but good. The Secretary of
State walked over to the White House,
thinking the President was there, and
went away empty-handed, possessing no
news for publication. He is credited with
having been one of the prime promoters of
the presidential order against cabinet Off
GERS talking about cabinet news for publ
cation. Consequently his trips to and from
the White House are not often molested
by the newspaper fraternity, who do not
care to disturb his serenity or taciturnity.
Then came Secretary Taft, who finding the
President out, went into the offices of SEQ
retary Loeb. where. he learned that Mr..
Loeb, too, was away, at home, awaiting
a most acceptable Christmas present.
Neither was Mr.. Taft pestered by the half
dozen newspaper men who were idly wait
ing for something good" to come along.
Speaker Cannon Walked In.
1t was just about this time that Speaker
Cannon walked in. He came to pay his
respects TO the President and extend a cor.
dial Christmas greeting. He was promptly
detained and worked for all that could
be got from him. He told several good
stories, expressed some tart views on per-
sOnal and other subjects not connected with
the work of Congress, and was then asked
about some recently published accusations
that the House of Representatives is no
longer a representative body but Is dom
mated and ruled by the Speaker of the
House.
Yes, yes" said the Speaker, with en-
phasis, the House is just as representative
a body now as it was when the country
had only 100000 people. You know that
if you listen to all that is said you will find
that this country is going to the devil, is
fast becoming a monarchy, and will cease
to be republic. l heard that same kind
of thing when l was boy, when we used
to gather at campmeetings and elsewhere
TO listensto an interchange Of views from
people of all sorts. They used to tell US
then that things were not what they were
in the good old days Now you frequently
hear 1t said that this country is retrograd-
ing and that it is by no means what it was
in the good old days You hear 1t stated
that everything and everybody Is corrupt
and dishonest; that there is immortality by
the wholesale; in fact, wailings of every
kind Well, ! don't hesitate to say that this
country Is better today than ever in Its
history; that the people are better, more
honest more moral and less disposed to
front of honest men at every turn.
The People Just as Mighty Now.
The people are just as mighty now in
the matter of elections as ever before and
just as discriminating as to whether a
man has done his duty. No man ever
gets too big that he is not easily wiped
off the political map. And how quickly
people do it, too. They settle a man so
quickly that he is soon forgotten. l
venture the prediction that few of the
best-read men in the country could sit
men who have helped make history in
the House. The others We're defeated
forgotten, and that was the end. There
was William ]. Brown who put through
the House the first appropriation of $780,
600 to build the first telegraph line be-
tween Baltimore and Washington. He
did the world an immense service, yet
in the next election after this he hardly
got enough votes to count. The opposi-
tion put out a man who ridicu1ed the
idea of carrying news by lightning and
he beat Brown thousands Of votes. Didn't
that show the representative character
of the country? So 1t is today, although
a mans services now are not SO easily
condemned.
Undoubtedly We are better off-mark-
edly better-than our grandfathers; bet
ter physically, mentally and morally;
yes better than our fathers and we will
Continue to grow better despite the pes
simistic views we hear spoken at every
lennium isn't here, it is true, and things
won't be a bit interesting when every
thing becomes perfect. We are doing
better though"