Palestine daily herald. [volume] (Palestine, Tex.) 1902-1949, 1906-05-07
MAN OF THE HOUR !
IN WASHINGTON
TODAY is JUNGLE JOE" CANNON,
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES.

representatives WIS TIE uldH Oh tue
hour in Washington today. It was
the seventeen birthday of the grizzled
veteran from Illinois, and from the
time he appeared on the streets on
his way to the capitol this morning
he was kept busy shaking hands and
listening to the congratulatory utter
ances of his friends and acquaint-
ances. The House chaplain made
complimentary mention of the ami
versary in his opening prayer. and
every member on both sides of the
chamber took occasion to congratulate
the Speaker Nor were the occupants
of the senate wing behindhand in their
fluctuations. Contrary to the new
rule enforced at the opening of the
present congress. the rule promulgat-
ed by Speaker Cannon himself forbid
ding floral decorations, huge bunch
of American beauty roses graced the,
Speakers desk when the House was
called to order
Uncle joe for President" was the
remark passed around during the day
by members of the Illinois delegation
and other ardent admirers of Speaker
Cannon. but nothing could induce Mr..
Cannon to make any serious comment
on the new movement to advance him
from the Speakers chair to the White
House About the best that could be
ELECTED from him was a smile and
the remark Lovely, pleasant, COM
plimentary." as he shifted his cigar
from one corner of his mouth to the
other and then passed on to the next
group waiting their turn to present
their congratulations.
Tonight, at the Arlington Hotel, Mr.
Cannon is to be the guest at a dinner
given by the House Of Representatives
in honor of his seventeen birthday.
The affair has been planned on an
elaborate scale, and the affair will
undoubtedly be one of the biggest of
] its kind ever given i'm the national
capital The president, vice president,
the senate, the cabinet, the United
State supreme court and public Of
fcials generally have been invited to
attend
Although he has now reached three
score and ten, Mr. Cannon is hale and
hearty, and as the statehood insur-
gents discovered to their sorrow. he
is as full of fight as ever. His Isnu0|
intimate friends and assocIates-ifvIh e
House declare that Uncle Joe" has
no desire to become president He
himself has been heard to say on
frequent occasions that his only am
bitlon is to serve another term as
presiding officer of the House.
Joseph G. Cannon. Republican, Of
Danville. H.. was born at Guilford. n.
c., May eth. 1896; is lawyer; was
states attorney in Illinois, March.
1861. to December, 1868; was elected
to the Forty-third, Forty-fourth, Forty
fifth. Forty-sixth, Forty-seventh, Forty
eighth. Forthy-ninth. Fiftieth, Fifty
Irst, Fifty-third. Fifty-fourth, Fifty
fifth. Fifty-sixth. Fifty-seventh, Fifty
eighth congresses. and reelected to
the Fifty-ninth congress"
This is the sketch of the Father of
the House" as it is printed in the
congressional directory for the Fifty
ninth congress. 1t has been changed
little in the last thirty years. The
only change has been the addition OF
another congress every two years
Only one congressional directory since |
1872 has not had this autobiography |
That was the directory Of the Fifty
second congress.
Mr.. Cannon has been elected to |
congress seventeen times. That is |
several times more than any other |
member Of the present congress. He
has been Uncle Joe" To everybody in |
Washington for a quarter Of century.
and while regarded as the fiercest |
| fighter in the House his friends say
that he has done more kindly acts for |
other members and outsiders than any
other man in congress.
Mr. Cannon's action at the outbreak |
Of hosiilities with Spain in 1898 was
characteristic Of the man. He was
not lingo before the war began. He
was one of the conservatives. But
when the battleship Maine was blown
up in Havana harbor. Uncle Joe"
said little on either side. He began
making a few figures. and one morn
ing he quietly dropped a little bill in
the box. which. when found. created
sensation. not only in Washington.
but in every city in the civilized
world
That bill was unique It had no
precedent 1t appropriated 100000 900
for public defense. and placed that
sum at the disposal of the president.
II meant that the nation would get
ready for war and ct directed the
president to take steps to that end.