The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1906-12-15
IS NO L0NCER
Representative BODY
Brotherhood of Locomotiv Fire.
mems National Legislative
Member Talks.
Tells How Speaker Cannon Can
Overthrow Will of People,
and Block Laws.

H. r. Fuller national legislative rep
resentative for the Brotherhood Of Lo-
comotive Firemen rather takes a Jolt
or two out Of Speaker Cannon In a
review on late labor legislation, He
says: ITO the great surprise Of the
railroad organizations who have been
working for years for a law restricting
immigration by an educational test,
the United States senate at its recent
session Iassed such a bill mot only to
be crucified In what has been supposed
to be the house Of his friends.
After the bill containing the educa-
tional test provision had been report
ed from committee, efforts were made
by Its friends to secure from Speaker
). 6. Cannon an opportunity for its
consideration in the house. Mr.. Cam
non being violently. opposed to the
educational test provision, would not
consent, and in order to sound the sem
timents Of the members of his party
In the House on the subject, he order
ed the Republican whip" Represent
tative j. E. Watson Of Indiana, to take
a poll Of the Republican members
According to statements made by Mr.
Watson, this poll developed the fact
that the sentiment on that side Of the
House was strongly In favor Of the
educational test, much to the chagrin
Of Mr.. Cannon. If the majority of the
party in control Of the House ruled,
this would have been sufficient, but
Mr.. Cannon, with ruthless disregard
for the wishes of a majority of his
party, still continued to use the in
f7uence and power Of his office to de-
feat this provision.
Representative Gardner of Mass
achusetts then secured sufficient
number Of signatures of the Republi-
can members to call Republican
caucus for the purpose Of considering
the subject. Mr.. Cannon was apprised
of this fact, and fearing If a caucus
was called his efforts would be de-
feated and the educational test provi-
sion passed, begged Of the friends of
the bill to not press their caucus call.
and he would, have a rule, providing
for it's consideration, brought in by the
committee on rules. Unfortunately
Mr.. Cannons proposition was accepted,
for, together with his confidential ad-
visors, he set about to frame a rule
through which the defeat Of this pro-.
vision coud*~be accomplished. - ON
June 25th the rule was reported to
the House by Representative John Dali
zell OF Pennsylvania, and adopted. It
prevented an aye and nay vote on the
educational test provision, and pro-
Vt0p0 for "a oP
therefor which would require that
the subject be submitted to a COM
mission. The object Of preventing
this substitute was wholly for the pur-
pose Of evading the question, and for
furnishing a means for defeating the
educational test without recurring
members to answer to their consti-
tuents for direct vote against II
The bill was then taken up for con.
s1deration. and passed according to
Mr.. Cannon's program; and for the
nrst time probably within the recollec.
ton OF any member Of the House. or
the Oldest OF its frequenters, the spec-
tacle was witnessed of the sneaker
| maintaining his place on the floor. log
rolling against measure which had
been declared for in platforms OF Re-
publican national conventions and In
inaugural addresses and messages of
Presidents Mckinley and Roosevelt
! and by his presence, leadership and
| force, intimidating Republicans who
were otherwise inclined to vote their
real sentiments
The substitute providing for a refer
ence of the subject to a commission
was offered by Representative G. n
| Grosvenor of Ohio, the speakers right
| hand man, and second in command of
the House leadership. A division was
had on this substitute ,and it was de-
clared defeated by vote Of 1876 to 123
majority Of 13. This showed that
| notwithstanding all the coercion and
unfair means resorted to by Mr., Can
non, still the majority of the House
was In favor of the educational test
provision, and against the cowardlv
underhanded way by which it was
proposed to defeat 1t; but such a de-
| feat to the speaker could not he al.
lowed to stand, his friends demanded
tellers. and among the first to go he.
tween the tellers and be counted in
favor of the substitute was Mr.. Cam
non nllnsen. AS soon as he passed
the .tellers his piercing eye ran rapid1v
over the Republican side of the cham
Der and frown took possession Of
his face when he bcheld many mem
bers Of his party quietly sitting in
their seats waiting for the other side
OF the question to be taken, when thew
could cast their votes in favor Of tho
educational test. He then became des-
perate, shaking his head vigorously
and gesticulating with his arms he
worked rapidly from one desk to