The border vidette., 1908-10-24
MARK SMITH ROASTS CANNON.
Extract From the New York Times of
 June 22. 1906.


 stung Speaker Cannon into taking the floor in his own defense he accom- plished something that no represent ative has been able to do.
 Marf Smith is not representative; he is a voteless delegate, admitted to the floor, in handcuffs. If Arizona ever becomes a state in his lifetime, he will be a senator; at present he oc- cupies the most insignificant place allotted to any body in the two branches of congress. For delegate to make himself heard. to achieve a high and respected position among his moro fortunate colleagues. is we'll high i'm possible.
 Mark Smith, however, has accom- plished it by sheer force of character and ability, and if his territory ever becomes 9 state she will enter the national councils with one senator whose position in the capital is already made. .,spd her voice will outweigh that of some eastern states.-New York, for instance.
 When Cannon took the floor he was wild with rage, and his face was red to the top of his bald head. He had intended to fay Smith, but as he be- gan speaking he got cooler and realized the fatal mistake he would make in doing so and his speech tapered off into a simple defense of himself.
 Smith had "got under his chin" as no previous critic had ever done. The savage personal attack of Shackleford had moved him not in the least. John Sharp Williams criticisms had an noyed bina. but had not provoked him into taking the floor. The reason for Smiths success was the extraordinary artistic nature of the trimming which the delegate gave. It Is in this line of attack that Smith excels, and there ia no one in congress who can match him in it.
 Whereas Shackleford and Williams had attacked the speaker directly, Smith never mentioned him. He did not aIlude to the house machine. to Mir. Cannon nor to any one else. Reading through his speech, no one uainformed about the progress of the statehood, bill would see anything in itamores than alvasue criticism of per- sons unknown. Yet the whole thing was withering denunciation of the speaker. That is why it was artistic.
 This is the sentence that lashed the speaker to uugovernable fury and made him leave the chair: "There is a law in Arizona that i: one legisl ,tor trades with another on legislation be- fore that body he is guilty of high misdemeanor, and if the governor shall attempt in that beniyhted land to m fuence legislation by promises of veto or the withholding of veto loes to the | penitentiary. under tine laws of the land"
 That was all. Not a reference to | Cannon in it, apparently. and he he'd not alluded to Cannon in the preced- ing part of his speech. It was all strictly parliamentary. Yet not one of his hearers has the slightest doubt about the point, which was that if Cannon had done in Arizona what he | had done in Washington, he would have gone to the penitentiary.
 This ability of Smiths artistic fay ing has been demonstrated often enough and was demonstrated once be fore at this session, when the state hood bill was ammed through the house. Tawney of Minnesota had been one of the leading insurgents; had been in conference with Smith, and had assured the friends of Arizona of his undying friendship. The speak CT applied the party lash to him, and Tawney was forced into camp. But it was not enough for the remorseless speaker that Tawney should vote a against his friends; he must speak against tn ?m, too. So T4wnsy had to get ur ard deliver the b 'st apology he could for bis course ard m doiu so he again repeated his Irote stations of fric ndship for Arizona.