The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-09-16

He does things. He Is a hater Of
graft. He is full of fight and vigor.
Those who know him best, love him
most. With all humanity, save a few
natural and hardly worldly atmos-
phere, Uncle Joe" with his virtues
has his frailties and human imperfec-
tions but he is wholesome, frank,
able and honest.
Beware Of hasty criticism of any man
whom President Roosevelt commends.
President Roosevelt has paid warm
tributes to the speaker and to congress.
When the first session of the Fifty
ninth congress adjourned the president
dictated the following statement of his
appreciation to the Associated Press:
I'm the session that has just closed
the congress has done more substantial
work for good than any congress has
done at any session since became
familiar with public affairs. The legis-
lation has been along the lines of real
constructive craftsmanship of the most
practical and efficient type, and bill af-
ter bill has been enacted into law
which was of an Importance so great
that it is fair to say that the enact
ment of any one of them alone would
have made the session remarkable,
such. for instance, as the railroad rate
bill. the meat inspection measure, the
pure food bill, the bill for free alcohol
I'm the arts the consular reform bill,
statehood bill and the naturalization
bill.
Il certainly have no disposition to
blink at what there is of evil in our
social, industrial and political life of
today. but it seems to me that the men
of genuine patriotism who genuinely
wish well to their country have the
right to feel a profound satisfaction in
the entire course of the congress.
7 would not be afraid to compare its
rapnrH with that of nTPViOIIG n
gress in our history, not alone for the
wisdom, but for the disinterested high
mindedness which has controlled its ac-
tiOns. 1t is noteworthy that not sin
gle measure which the closest scrutiny
could warrant us in calling of doubtful
prOpriety has been enacted, and, on the
other hand, no influence of any kind
has availed to prevent the enactment Of
the laws most vitally necessary to the
nation at this time"
RoOseveit's Latest Compliment.
Not satisfied with that tribute, few
weeks later the president sent to the
Hon. James Z. Watson, Republican
whip of the house, a long letter in
which he paid a glowing tribute to the
house and to the speaker for the phe-
nomenal amount of good work 1t had
accomplished under the wise and able
leadership of Speaker Cannon. In that
letter the president said:
with Mr. Cannon as speaker, the
house has accomplished a literally phe-
nomenal amount of good work 1t has
shown a courage, good sense and patri-
otism such that it would be a real mis-
fortune for the country to fail to recog-
nize.'
So it will be readily seen that the
attack on the speaker in the Demo-
cratic platform, like the attack on the
president in the Democratic platform
of 1904. Is partisan buncomb. to detract
from the weakness of the Democratic
policies.
Uncle Joe's Popularity.
There is a very able and popular
Democrat in the house who will be the
Democratic leader in the next congress
Champ Clark of Missouri. Mr.. Clark
has also testified to the fairness of
Speaker Cannon, and in a newspaper
article over his own signature, dated
May Is. 1905, he gave an account of the
demonstration in the house on the
closing day. In this letter Mr. Clark
among other things complimentary to
the speaker, says:
THAT the Hon. Joseph G. Cannon is
a popular man is known of all the
world. That he is personally the most
popular of all speakers of the house is
altogether probable. His lines have in
deed been cast in pleasant places. His
popularity among members is remark
able when It is remembered that for
in the thick of the fight. and that he
knocked and was knocked, mauled and
was mauled, skinned and was skinned.
as much as any member, except that he
was very hard to knock, maui or skin.