The National tribune., 1906-05-24
SPEAKER J. q. CANNON.

Invitations read, and from the assem-
bly, of distinguished gentlemen and a
few who were not so distinguished,
perhaps, it is inferred that no man
who possessed dress suit failed to
"arrive" at the Arlington on the even
ing of May z.
The President was there, the Vice
President, members of the Cabinet,
Justices of the Supreme Court, Sena-
tors, Representatives, members of the
Diplomatic Corps, heads of bureaus
and other people, very distinguished,
distinguished and undistinguished. But
1t didn't matter. Everybody rubbed
shoulders and clinked glasses and talk
ed shop, politics and everything else
under the sun.
The reception feature Of Uncle Joe's
party began at 9 o'clock. With him
I'm the receiving line were Representa-
tives Payne, of New York; Sherman,
of New York; Sibley and Morrell, of
Pennsylvania; Littauer, of New York;
Tawney, of Minnesota: John Sharp
Williams, of Mississippi; Champ Clark,
OF Missouri; Burleson, of Texas, and
Foster, of Vermont.
Directly back of the Speaker, and
facing all who entered the vast recep-
tion room, was a replica of the west
front of the Capitol as viewed from the
Botanic Gardens. The floral decora-
tions to the left of Speaker Cannon
were tributes from his Danville friends.
The centerpiece of the Danville deco
rations was a Roman wreath, surround
ed with American Beauties and filled
with orchids. Three streamers ftOated
out from the wreath. Upon the red
one appeared the words: The noblest
Roman of them ALL On the white
streamer were the words: ITO the
Speaker from Danville friends On
the blue streamer was simply the date
TIa M
rations in the reception room consist
ed of an elaborate display of dogwood
blossoms, which were distributed over
the walls beneath which in places red
roses cleaned.
Photographs of Speaker Cannon,
each bearing his autograph, were CIV
en- to the guests as souvenir of the
occasion.
In the Congressional Directory II
takes exactly six lines, no more, no
less, to tell all that Speaker Cannon
thinks the public cares about his life
history. Two lines and a date over
are taken up with telling that he was
born in Guilford Courthouse. y. G.
Three lines exactly are taken up To
show how many Congresses have been
illumined by his presence, and they
number exactly 16, including the pres
ent. They should be Is to make a
continuous and unbroken line, but he
gress, along with so many of his Re
publican friends, that ii made that
Congress and the succeeding one Dem
cratic, though Mr.. Cannon was elected
to the SD and has served ever since,
and these number all the political Of
fees he ever filled.
Mr. Cannon is of Quaker stock. You
wouldn't think IL II you could hear him
talk in his unreserVcd moments when
he is just Mr.. Cannon and smoking a
cigar with a lot Of hail fellows well
met in his little cubby hole OF prl-
vate office at the Capitol; indeed, you
wouldn't. His language is picturesque
ly Uttered up with words that do not
pass muster in society where ladies
most do congregate. and he is vigorous
in expression and emphatic in utter
ance. His people first settled in and
about Nantucket and in the quaint
old "burying ground there are many
headstones of his ancestors. They went
from there south, to Virginia and the
Caroiinas. When the boy Joseph was
but five years old the Cannons started
in prairie schooners to seek a new
location in the far" North. as II then
seemed. DR.. Cannon, father OF little
Joe, settled in Illinois, in Parke Coun-
~. In 1854 his father was accidental
ly drowned, and from that time on
the boy had TO make his own living
beginning when he was Just turned
IL. So it will be seen that the present
Speaker OF the House Is pre-eminently