The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-05-08
TRIBUTE PAID ID
 SPEAKER CANNON
Champ Clark Calls Attention to
 His Birthday
COLLEAGUES ARE PRAISED
Speaker Cannon Makes an Address To the House In Midst of Roll Gall and Says Many Nice
 Things To Them.

Washington May IA touching tribute was paid in the House of Representatives today to Speaker Cannon upon the occa- sion of the seventy second anniversary of his birth. The usual roll call on takin, a recess at the close of the day had pros ceeded for some time when 1t was Inter- rupted by MT. Champ Clark of Missouri MT. Speaker" he inquired is not this the seventy-second anniversary of the birth of the speaker?"
 The speaker seemed taken by surprise, and modestly bowed that it was.
 Well" remarked MT. Clark amid ap- plause, T wish to say we all wish you many happy returns
 Cries of speech, speech, and the l Speaker said:
 l Except by unanimous consent 1t ought not to be in order for anybody to inter- rupt the roll call but in the absence of objection, l sincerely thank the gentle man from Missouri-my friend, personal friend, as l am his, political opponent as 1 am his-for his kindly remembranee on | this, the seventy-second anniversary of my birth. 1 sometimes wish could forget it and everybody else could"
 Here the House broke out into applause and laughter But he said after all, it is some compensation for being 72 when friends recollect the birthday with kind words and thought.
 Many years service in the House of Representatives authorize me to state, as l have stated before, that so far as know, or believe, there is no greater legis lative body than this, or those bodies which constitute the Congress of the United States. and after these years of service l want to say that the personnel of the Sixtiethf Congress, in my judgment, is quite equal to the personnel of any Congress in which l have served.
 Tn filibustering times we sometimes have something of temper, something of temporary feeling. In all contests be- tween men, touching matters Of impor- tance to the country and to civilization, the contests are sharp, and as 1t is government through parties there is the political game to play for advantage in approaching campaigns; but be it said that while we are partisans in the coun- try and partisans in the House. we are all citizens of the same country, and, it is true, as we work at partisanship and for policies in which we believe on each side of the center aisle there Is to be found patriotism, fidelity, integrity for the best good of the country as we see it from our respective standpoints. And there is one thing in this House and one thing that belongs to the civilization that we have in the United States that is worthy of note-we don't, in our contests strike below the belt, and if perchance, i if in temper, some individual so strikes. he regrets it. If he does not he drops out and is forgotten.
 T thank you again for this kindly re- membrance"
 On motion of MT. Macon of Arkansas the roll call was vacated ''in honor of the Speakers birthday and the House took a recess. A massive basket of flowers, crowned with a silk flag bearing the words birthday greetings in gold let ters, the gift of the Illinois delegation, adorned the Speakers private room.