Los Angeles herald., 1908-10-17
JUD RUSH MAKES
SPEAKER AN ISSUE
DECLARES HE is OPPOSED TO
JOECANN0NISM
s
HAS GREATER POWER THAN THE
PRESIDENT
Democratic Candidate for Congress
Tells Glendale Democracy His
Ideas of Duty of Menu
ber Of House

At Glendale last night before meet
ing of the Democracy of that city and
locality surrounding, Jud Rush, Democ-
racy's candidate for congress, MADE
some strong statements in regard 10
the views he holds on the conduct and
duties of the house of representatives.
There was big audience at the
meeting, and a great deal of enthusl-
asm was shown. Mr.. Rush was the
principal speaker of the evening, ana
while he devoted the greater part or
his talk to the various questions which
have arisen in regard to the work OF
the representative OF the Seventh dis
trict in congress, when he got down to
the subject of Uncle Joe Cannon, Whom
he insisted was one of the greatest
issues of the campaign, Mr. Rush was
very direct in his statements. lie MADE
it very plain that he does not believe
in Joecannonism. Among other things
along this line he said:
I'm forming our system Of govern
ment the fathers intended that the
house of representatives should be the
popular branch of the legislative de-
partment of our nation; that a member
of congress elected directly by the peo-
pie Of a certain district and being an
swerable directly to the people for ms
acts, should be the agent and spokes-
man of the people in the house of rep
resentatives.
at was thought that If powerful in
terests antagonistic to good govern
ment should by any means influence
the senate, the house, ever represent
ing the will of the people and being
answerable directly to the people,
would remain true to their interests.
Power of Speaker
Notwithstanding this plain intent of
the founders of our government,
practice has developed in the house py
which practically all of the power or
the members Is vested in the speaker.
No law can be enacted without his con-
sent, and he can practically compei
the passage of any bill which he IA
vors. He is reported to have boldly
asserted that he was entitled to all the
credit for the passage of every Dill
passed by the house, and that he was
entitled to the credit for strangnnS
every bill which the majority of MEM
bers of the house tried to pass ana
which he did not favor. In other words;
it has come to pass that there is vested
in the speaker of the house of repre-
sentatives a vastly greater power than
is possessed by the president OF the
United States himself, and the house
of representatives, instead of repre-
senting directly the people OF the Unit
ed States, represents only the Will OF
the speaker. =, =
81 do not believe in this policy. 1
adhere rather to the plain intent of the
constitution. 1 believe that a member
of the house of representatives should
be the representative of the people oil
his district and while 1 recognize the
necessity for political parties and tha'
more or less partisanship is unavoid-
able. vet / believe that member OF
the house of representatives should be
more devoted to the interests of the
people he represents than of any polit-
ical party: and so believing, / shall, II
elected a member of the next congress-
in the event that the Republicans nave
a majority in that congress. gladly
cast my vote for some good Republi-
can for speaker of the house who Is
opposed to Cannon and Cannonism
rather than to vote to bestow an empty
compliment on some Democrat, no mat
ter how worthv he may be-"
Tonight Mr. Rush will speak at VEN
ice, and a big meeting has been ar
ranged for. The arrangements nave
been in charge of DR.. ]. M. White, and
a great deal of enthusiasm has been
aroused At Venice Mr.. Rush has
agreed to take up the San Pedor har-
Dor matter, the question of fortifica-
tions and a military reservation in the
vicinity OF Los Angeles, near one of
the coast cities.