The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-04-15
CANNON As CANDIDATE
FOR The PRESIDENCY
Continued From First Page.

president who for years has part1cl-
ipated in the rough and tumble debates
on the floor of the house, or in the more
dignifed debates in the senate. and
thru such an experience has come to
have a thoro knowledge of legislative
forms, precedents and customs, and an
intimate personal acquaintance with
the members of the legislative body, is
obviously more acceptable president
to the average legislator than the man
who comes to the White House by a
short cut from private life. And SO it
happens, that, other things being equal,
the senators and representatives always
incline toward a candidate who has
seen service on capitol hill.
Illinois legislature and two years in
congress prior to his election to the
presidency, and he brought to that high
office such familiarity with legisla-
tive form as enabled him to steer clear
of friction with the lawmaking body.
I johnson had served in both the house
of representatives and in the senate,
for which reason it.. has always been
strange that as president he assumed
an attitude which invited the bitter
hostility of congress and finally led to
the only marked exception to the gen
eral rule here laid down. Harrison had
served in the senate before becoming
president, and Mckinley had had a
long and brilliant service in the house.
So with Garfield. ,..s ....-.s.. -..
= -.a Five Took Short Cuts.
OF the presidents since the civil war,
five have not had this legislative ex-
perience. Grant came to. the presidency
from the battlefield. Hayes had never
L -
gress, and did not know public men as
represented in that body. Arthur had
a wider acquaintance with public men,
but he, too. was without legislative ex-
perience, which was source of weak
ness, and helped prevent him securing
| the presidential nomination in 1884.
Cleveland was without this legislative
experience, which fact, coupled with his
temperament, led him into numerous
contests with congress, more particular
ly with the senate, and made his White
time.
Roosevelt also came to the White
House without legislative experience
aside from term or two in the New
York legislature when very young
| man, and this fact accounts for good
deal of the more or less open friction
which, from the beginning Of his ad-
ministration, has existed between him
and congress. Congress insists that he
does not understand legislative proce-
dure, and, not understanding it, that
almost hourly, and is lacking in the
proper respect for the law-making body
as whole.
A congressional career, on the othel
hand, has on numerous occasions, oper
ated as a handicap on public men with
presidential aspirations. A forcefu
man in congress, especially in the house
is almost sure, in the course Of long
and distinguished service, to arouse an
tagons Whifh operate against min
1 nomination. This explains why sher
man died with his ambition unrealized
And what is true Of Sherman is true
also, of r'aine, sEdmupds and Reed
Blaine received the nomination, bu
hatreds engendered by debates on tn
floor Of the house had mt i to do witt
his defeat at the polls.
Cannon Highly Popular.
Mckinley, with his amiability, wa
} an exception to this last-mentione
rule. Similarly, Speaker Cannon, wit
keen sense of humor, his blunt honest,
and various other Lincolnesque traits
has created no antagonisms in congress
but. on the other hand, becomes NOR
highly regarded the longer he serves.
His strength to the republican part
in 1908, provided his physical condi
ton continues good, will lie in his abili
ty to inspire public confidence in re
publican principles, and, in the fac
!, that his own personality will be a guar
, antee of righteous and safe admins
: tration Of governmental affairs. Til
: democratic party may drift SO far fro1
sound; mornings in that year as max
: the nomination Of some such man a
Cannon highly necessary.
All these thoughts are going thr
the minds of, the speakers friends i
> Washington, and it will be strange
a good many Of them are not brough
. to the surface at the anniversary dir
8 ner, altho, as has been stated, the dir
: ner is not being arranged with vie
to anything Of this kind, but rattle
as a personal tribute to the speake
from his colleagues, republicans as we
! as democrats.