Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1907-12-02
UNCLE JOE AGAIN IN HIS ACCUS-
TONED PLACE AND WILL
BUILD UP MACHINERY OF
THE HOUSE.
Last Contest Over Speakership Was
When Reed Was Elected-Since
Then Little Excitement Attended
Choice of Ruler of House.

V.
The Sixtieth congress has convened
in Washington today and the famil-
lar figure of Uncle Joe" Cannon is
seen in it's accustomed place in the
speakers chair No one has dared
contest for the honor and "Uncle
Joe" resumes his place without the
semblance of struggle.
As a matter of fact, there has not
been a contest for the speakership
since the converting of the Fifty
second congress in December, 1891.
In the Fifty-first congress there was
a struggle for supremacy between
Ave republicans, but Thomas B.
Reed was chosen on the second bal
lot. The other candidates were
William Mckinley of Ohio, Joseph
G. Cannon of Illinois, julius BuBr-
rows of Michigan and David B.
Henderson of Iowa. Both Hender-
son and Cannon subsequently
achieved the coveted honor.
Democrats Had Fierce Contest.
That was the last contest in the
republican party for the speaker
ship, although seven republican
congresses have been elected since
that time. The contest for speaker
in the democratic caucus in 1891,
however, was the most holly waged
battle of it's kind known since the
long drawn out contest before tie
civil war. Roger @. Mills of Texas
and Charles F. Crisp of Georgia
were the faVorites in the race, al
though William s. Holman of IDdi-
ana and William s. Springer of Illi-
nois "also ran" The last two
named never had chance of finish
ing "in the money" however, and
they finally gave their influence to
Crisp who secured the post. Hol-
man was rewarded with the chair
manship of the appropriations com
mittee, while Springer was made
chairman of the ways and means
committee of the house. Two years
later Crisp was again chosen with
out opposition, ~--- s----r~
/ When the Fifty-fourth congress
met the republicans We're again in
control and. have since held the bal
ance of power without interruption.
Reed was returned to the speakers
chair without opposition in Decem.
Der. 1895. and again when the next
congress convened in 1897.
Reeds announcement of his re-
tirement from the House immedi-
ate1y resulted in the beginning OF
an open fight among the various as
pirants for the honor of being his
successor. Many candidates APP
peared, among them Cannon and
Hopkins of Illinois, Sherman and
Payne of New York. Henderson of
Iowa and Dalzell of Pennsylvania
When Henderson Defeated Cannon
BY a species of wire-pulling that
has always been source of won
derment to the people of Illinois,
Hopkins secured control of the del
egation from that state and became
their official candidate. "Uncle Joe"
was the most popular man in the
House. and except for the opposition
of his colleagues from Illinois,
w"nld undoubtedly have been
selected at that time. The action
of the Illinois congressman in de-
c1aring for Hopkins, as against
Cannon, aroused the resentment of
the members from other states and,
in order to defeat Hopkins, they
agreed upon Dave Henderson OF
Iowa This selection took place sew
eral months before congress con-
vened and the name of the Iowa
man was the only one presented Mt
the caucus, Hopkins had success
fully played the part of the dog In
the manger and in this he incurred
the resentment OF the people of his
home state. The political memory
Is noterionsly short. however. ard
HOPKINS was later rewarded with
senatorial toga,
Cannon Unanimous Choice
After serving two terms. Hender-
son announced his withdrawal Why
he did this remains one of the con-
gressiona1 mysteries that have never
been solved Long before the Fifty
eighth congress assembled "Uncle
Joe" Cannon had become the unan.
imous choice of the state delega-
tions and republican members from
every part of the country He was
again elected TO the speakership
without opposition when the Fifty
ninth congress met. and this pro-
cess is again to he repeated APP
parently Uncle Joe" has a life ten
ure on the speakership. unless the
republicans should lose their major
ity In the House or the Illinois con-
gresham should attain his cleverly-