Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-01-16
GUESTS OF THE SPEAKER.
Members of the Cabinet, Congress and
Correspondence Corps Entertained.


That wild-eyed rumor that political fric-
ton in the House of Representatives has
caused personal enmity was effectuaIIv dis
PEELED last night when Speaker Cannon en-
tertained nearly all the members of both
houses of Congress, as we'll as the corps OF
Washington newspaper correspondents at
his Vermont avenue home. Tt is proba bic
that no other man in public life. save only
the President, could have brought together
SO many persons prominent in the affairs OF
the nation. And nowhere else in the world
would these prominent persons have felt
more thoroughly at ease or better endowed
the spirit of good fellowship than at the
home OF the genial Speaker of the House of
Representatives
a day or two ago the story was circulated
that Speaker Cannon and Representa- tive
Babcock. leader of the insurgents in the
statehood tight, had had q personal en-
counter-not physically speaking Of course
but 1t was said they told each other In
plain terms what they thought of each
other, and it was intimated that this mu-
tual opinion was not entirely compliment
tary. To such as read that story, ana be-
ieved it, should have been given the oppor-
tunity to see Mr.. Babcocl as he entered the
receiving room last evening. Uncle Joes
eyes fairly glistened with Joy he grasped
the hand of the gentleman from Wiscon-
SIM and be 1t further said, the gentle
man from Wisconsin had a better time
tIdn almost anybody else. he called with
the expectation of remaining fifteen min
utes, but he stayed two hours, and then lett
reluctantly.
Then there was the Vice President the
Postmaster General, Secretary Taft. Score
tary Root, Attorney General Moody, JUS
tice Harlan. Judge McComas, Judge
Wright, Commissioner West and host OF
others. who shook the Speakers hand and
partook of the Speakers hospitality. Only
one serious criticism was made. In the
smoking room upstairs were several boxes
of cigars-and good cigars they were, for
the Speaker is an excellent Judge of to-
bacco-but many of the insurgents in the
House and anti-Philippine senators declined
to smoke until they ascertained whether or
not the cigars were Philippine product.
One courageous newspaper correspondent
gram from a newspaper out in Ohio. which
ran like this: Ascertain If possible II
Speaker Cannon is interested in the state
hood fight If he is, get his views, not to
exceed ten words" Rumor has It that the
Speaker gave his views in the limit of ten
words, but that correspondent found 1t i'm
possible TO send those views by wire. If
anybody wants to know, why let him ask
the Speaker the same question.
The presentations-ius for the sake of
form-were made by Mr.. Lyon, doorkeeper
Speaker needed no introductions. He knew
all the members of his own flock, and he
had seen so many cartoons of the members
of the Senate that he knew them the mo-
meekest and most humble CORES pondent
was materially gratifed by having the
Speaker not only recall his name, but some
incident peculiarly apropos that had i'm
pressed itself on his mind.
Nobody talked shop. That is, none OF the
newspaper men did OF course, some of
the legislators had to air their views and
Senator Dolliver and Col. Pete Hepburn
spent most of the evening In one Of the
cozy corners discussing highest reason
able rates" and the maximum and min
trnllm" rate and kindred things. Repre-
sentative Towne broke into the conversa-
ton with the remark that Legislation is
bad at any rate" but even this did not
disturb the two statesmen from Iowa.
Representative Nick Longworth-he who is
soon to marry Miss Roosevelt-was there,
and with the Speaker shared the honors of
the evening. He always was the center
of an interesting group, and his stories of
college days and his early struggles In pol
itics were universally appreciated Every
body met everybody else and all had a
good time. Today the TRUCE IS broken and
mean things are being said on the floor of
the House-but last night-the yesterdays
and fonorroyys were forgotten.