The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-02-18
On the Anniversary of His First
Speech i'm the House
MADE "a YEARS AGO.
Names of Many Noted Statesmen
Who Were Present Recalled.
Winds Up by Nominating Him
for the Presidency.

years ago Speaker Cannon delivered his
| first speech in the house of representa-
| tives and the anniversary was marked
! by a tribute to the speaker by Mr..
! BoutelIe (Il1.) soon after that body met
| today. Mr.. Boutel1e recalled the noted
men of the house at that time. whose
friendship Mr.. Cannon enjoyed and said
| that among those present who heard
his remarks were Speaker Blaine. Joseph
/ r. Hawley of Connecticut, William f.
| Frye and Eugene Hale of Maine, Henry
L. Dawes, E. lockwood Hoar, George
F. Hoar, Benjamin +. Butler, julius e
! H. Stevens of Georgia. William X.
| Morrison of Illinois. William S. Hol-
man of Indiana, Lucius Q. Lamar OF
Mississippi, Richard P. Bland of Mis-
| souri,, Fernando Wood of New York,
| Samuel ]. Randall of Pennsylvania and
| Roger @. Mills of Texas.
Mr.. Boutelle said that Mr.. Cannon,
then thirty-six years old, spoke on a
| bill reducing rates of postage on books
for the carrying free of newspapers
within the counties of their publica
ton, and for the extension of franking
| privilege to public correspondence.
He made a carefully prepared, logi-
cal argument in support of the bill,
said Mr.. Boutelle, reinforcing his pro-
position by well ordered array of con-
vincing figures. It was a speech that
work and thorough preparation Several
extracts from the speech were read by
Mr.. Boutelle who spoke of g1be by
member directed at Mr.. Cannon that
the gentleman must have oats in his
pocket"
Mr. BouteIle said that tumultuous ap-
plause greeted Mr.. Cannon's retort
when he said: Il understand the gentle
man. Yes, I have oats in my pockets
and hayseed in my hair, and the west
ern people generally are affected in the
same way; and we expect that the
| seed, being good, will yield a good crop,
1 trust ten fold; and the sooner legis-
lation is had, not only as proposed by
| this bill, but in all other respects as the
people desire and equity and justice
shall dictate, the better it will be in
the long run for all people in this coun-
| try, whatever may be their calling or
wherever they may reside
He said that 1t had been charged that
| the city press opposed the bill and and
on this point Mr.. Boutelle quoted Mr..
Cannon as follows:
ct do not believe that the city press
will as unit oppose this bill. A por-
| ton of it may, from selfish motives in
some instances, honestly in others. I
certainly have no desire to call upon
! myself the assaults of the city press, or
| any portion of it. Nor do I fear it as
| long as I truly represent my cOnStitu-
| ents and act in my representative ca
! pacity, for the interest of the people
generally. Nor would 1 change the
| power of the press to assail my acts
or those of any one else. On the other
| hand every member of congress, or
| other agent of the people, should court
| a fair criticism of his acts, and If he
vitality misrepresents the people they
| should and no doubt would fail to con-
tinue him in places of trust. But no
man is a proper person to represent
! the people unless he has the honesty
| and the backbone to stand and do what
is right and for the interests of the
people without reference to what any
one else may say Of him, of what the
action of the press may be in the
| premises.
"That speech" said Mr.. Boutelle.
"gave Mr.. Cannon position as one
of the strong men in the house and
| leagues in both branches of congress,
and of the leaders in official life"
Mr.. Cannon, he declared. had an
swered the ridicle heaped upon him
by admitting that he was a country
member and had oats in his pockets,
"who proudly ACKNOWLEDGED the truth of
| the Jest, good naturedly silenced the
Jester, and then refuted the insfnua-
| ton of narrowness and provincialism
in words eloquent with the spirit of the
truest craftsmanship and the 1oftiest
| patriotism"
The oats that Mr. Cannon sowed
said Mr.. Boutelle. were not wild oats,
"and they have yielded him generous
| ferred to the steady strides made by
! Mr.. Cannon during his service as a
member of the house, resulting in his
election three time sas peaker, and in
conclusion said:
"The people of his district have con-
ferred upon him all the honors that
/ are in their gift to bestow. single hand
| ed and alone and the thought comes to
my mind on this anniversary of our
| country colleagues first triumph in
this house, a triumph won in the inter-
est of the workers of the country-sim-
| ply this: how gladly within the mex,
few months the other plain boys who
live on farms or work in mines OF
! shops will join the voters of his dis
trict to reward this, their faithful ser
| want. who went forth in their cause
"a years ago with oats in his pocket
and returned bringing his sheaves with
| him, by comforting upon him the ma
| tons final honor"
Mr.. Boutelle's remarks were pune
tuated throughout with loud applause
on the part of Republicans and
Democrats alike. The first mention
by him of Speaker Cannon's name
caused demonstration. Mr.. Cannon
| occupied the chair and seemed taken
completely by surprise. Upon the
conclusion of Mr.. Boutelle's rema rks
the house and galleries a a unit. in
dulged in loud and continuous an
plause and demands for speech by
the speaker.
Everybody stood up and cheered
ana continued the demands until the
| speaker arose. Everyone expected
him to say something in reply. bul
amid shrieks of laughter, he drolly
said:
''The gentleman from New Hanp-
shire, Mr.. Sulloway is recognized fol
the consideration of pension bills
l Mr.. Cannon turned the gayet owe,