The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-10-18
PEOPLE GETTING
ON TO UNCLE JOE
Opposition to Rooseveltian
Measures Puts Him in
DisfaVor.
HIS INFLUENCE NATIONAL.
HIS INFLUENCE NATIONAL.
MANY coNGREssMEN ARE FIGHT
ING FOR THEIR SEATS ON
PLEDGES TO OPPOSE SPEAKER
DURING NEAT CONGRESS.


This sums up the fight being made
against Speaker Joseph G. Cannon not
only in his own district, but in other
congressional districts. For, all over
the country. Republicans nominated
for representatives have sought to
strengthen themselves by announcing
that If elected they will not vote for
Cannon for speaker.
It Is in his own district that the real
battle is on. From his tour of speech
making in aid of the national ticket
Cannon has been forced to hurry back
to Illinois and make desperate fight
to save himself from defeat.
Cannon is regarded as one of the
most powerful of the reactionaries, is
opposed by those who believe in
Roosevelt's policies, by the church
people and by labor
Opposes Roosevelt Policies.
Cannon has never been in sympathy
with the president, He has opposed all
legislation looking toward the regula-
ton of trusts. 1t was Cannon who pre-
vented the passage of law forbidding
the shipment of liquor into prohibition
communities. His attitude toward a
delegation of Methodist preachers was
SO insulting that the Methodist General
conference appointed a committee to
defeat Cannon at the polls. This is the
most effective opposition now confront
ing Cannon.
The labor men want to see him de-
feated because he has never done any
thing to aid them. -
More than ten of the Republican
nominees for congressional seats from
Wisconsin, Minnesota, Nebraska, Mis-
souri,, Pennsylvania and Kansas have
pledged their constituencies not to vote
for Mr.. Cannon for speaker Of the next
congress.
They have been forced to do this by
the public sentiment in their districts.
Representative E. c. Ellis, of Kansas
City, is the latest recruit to this roll
He was put in an embarrassing posi-
ton. He Is under obligations to Speak
err Cannon, who appointed him to the
important committee on rivers and
harbors. This was one of the things
that greatly aided Mr.. Ellis in his re-
election to the present congress. But
in the face of his obligations, he has
declared himself opposed to the re-elec-
ton of Mr.. Cannon as speaker
Republican nominees for congress
from various nearby states have come
here to Republican headquarters and
told their friends that they did not
want Cannon sent into their districts
to make speeches; that in the present
state of public opinion his presence
would do them more harm than good
Others have gone further and said that
it would not be a bad idea to keep the
speaker off the stump altogether in the
upper valley states.
Church Against Cannon.
How holly contested is the fight Mr..
Cannon is making in his own district
for reelection may be measured by
the number and the prominence of the
speakers who are being sent into it
by the campaign committee. James S.
Sherman, republican vice-presidential
candidate; Nicholas Longworth, of
Ohio, and Representative Wilson. of
Chicago district. were the prominent
speakers at a meeting in Danville, and
they praised Mr. Cannon's services.
While these speeches were being
made in Mr.. Cannon's home town, the
speaker was being made the target of
River conference of the Methodist
Episcopal church, at the Woodlawn
Park church in Chicago. The opening
session of the 300 ministers was given
over to demonstration against the
liquor traffic.
The Rev. P. A. Baker, general sup
erintendent Of the anti-saloon league,
was the chief speaker. He was ap-
plauded when he referred to Mr.. Can
non as the greatest barrier to moral
advancement in the country, and again
when he asserted that from ocean to
ocean the applause responded" when
Cannon's record was attacked
Mr.. Baker urged those in Mr.. Can
mons district to vote against him in
the coming election, and numerous
cries of I'VE wilt" came from the
auQleuCe. he lOllOWGu one thrust
quickly by adding: Il wish We had him
in Ohio until election time. You must
defeat him here" I'VE will" shouted
a man in the audience
Mr.. Baker then related the story
of the defeat of Representative Jen-
kins, of Wisconsin, and the fight on
the Judiciary committee: I'VE have
removed two out of four" he conclud-
ed. I'VE are hard on the track of the
other two. 1t will not do to send this
man back to congress again, because
he would fill up these places on the
judiciary committee with undesirables.
But suppose we ought not to take too
much credit for Jenkins downfall. He
simply swore at the ministers. That
was enough
So does Common" yelled another
man in the audience.
But Cannon is a little more sly"
replied the speaker. He swears pri-
vately at the ministers, sure; l can
testify that he swears What l am
saying to you tonight I am going to
say in Cannon's district tomorrow"
More applause followed this state
ment. and the speaker continued:
aYou take any church bo5v hatu,en