Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1906-1908, 1906-05-11
SPEAKER CANNON
Is 70 YEARS OLD.
Congressman and Senators Give Compli-
ments and HandshakeS
Galore

WASHINGTON. ID. c.. May =
Uncle joe Cannon. speaker of the
House of Representatives, was the man
OF the hour in Washington today
1t was the SEVENTEEN birthday of the
@rizzled 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 list
ening to the congratulations utteranccS
OF his friends and acquaintance. The
House chaplain made complimentary
mention of the anniversary III his open
ing prayer and every member on both
sides of the chamber took occasion to
congratulate the speaker. Nor were the
occupants of the senate wing behind
hand in their fluctuations.
Violate Cannon's Rule
Contrary to the new rule enforced ut
the opening of the present Congress. the
rule promulgated by Speaker Cannon
himself. forbdding floral decora tons, Il
huge bunch of American beauty roses
graced the Speakers desk when the
House was called to order.
"'Uncle Joe for president" was g re
mark passed around during the day by
members of the Illinois delegation and
other ardent admirers of Speaker Can
non, but nothing could Induce Mr.. Can
non 10 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 Il smile and the remark,
Lovely, pleasant. complimentary 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 congra tluations.
Tonight at the Arlington hotel. Mr..
Cannon is to be the guest at a dinner
given by the House of Representatives.
III honor of his SEVENTEEN birthday. The
affair has been planned on an elaborate
scale. and it undoubtedly will he
one of the biggest of its kind ever given
i'll the national capital. The President,
interpretations, lie Senate. the cabinet.
the United States supreme court and
public officials generally have been invit-
ed to attend.
Although he has now reached three
score and ten. Mr.. Cannon is hale and
hearty and as the statehood insurgents
discovered to their SORROW. he is as full
Of fight as ever. His most intimate
friends and associates i'll the House de-
clare that Uncle Joe has no desire to
become President. He himself has been
heard TO say ON frequent occasions that
his only ambition is TO serve another
term as presiding officer Of the House.
Sketch Of His Career.
Joseph q. Cannon. Republican, Of
Danvilc. H.. was born at Guilford. y.
c. May /. 1896; IS a lawyer: was states
attorney i'll Illinois, March, 1864, To De
cember. 1868; was elected to the Forty
third, Fortyfourth, Fortyhfth. Forty
sixth, Forty-seventh. Forty-eighth. For
ty-ninth. Fifti,th. Fifty-frst, F'ifty-third
Fiftyfourth. Fifty-tiftll, Fifty-siXth,
Fifty-seventb. F'ifty-eighth Congresses.
and reelected to the Fifty-ninth Con
gress.
This is the sketch of the father of the
II Ouse.' as it is printed III the Con
Congress. Ii has been changed little i'll
the last thirty years. The only change
has been the addition of another Con
grcsS every two years. Only one Con
gressional directory since 1872 has not
had this autobiography. That was the
directory Of the Fifty-Second Congress.
Elected Seventeen Times.
Mr.. Cannon has been elected to Con
gress seventeen times. That is several
times more than any other member OF
the present Congress. lie has been
Uncle Joe to everybody i'll Washing.
ton for Il quarter of century. and
while regarded as the fercest fighter i'll
the House his friends say that he has
done more kindly acts for other members
and outsiders than any other man i'll
Congress.
Mr.. Cannon's action at the outbreak
of hostiIities with Spain III 1898 was
characteristic of the man. He was not Il
lingo before the war began. He wa
one Of the conservatives. But when the
battleship Maine was blown up in Ha-
vana harbOT. Uncle joe said little on
either side. He began making Il few fig.
ures and one morning he quietly dropped
a little bill in the box, which, when
found. created q sensation. not only in
Washington, but in every city in the civil
LIKED world.
That bill was unique. 1t had no prece,
dent 1t appropriated 100000 900 fo1
public defense and placed that sum az
the disposal of the President. 1t meant
that the nation would get ready for wHI
and it directed the President to take
steps to that end. 1t was passed without
a dissenting vote by the House. There
were speeches. but they were all for the
bill. In the Senate there We're nc
speeches. but it passed by unanimous
vote ti@re also. The bill was illustrative
,f II - ,.l,a