The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-09-18

at times pathetic, always kindly and
good humored. His tribute to the KAN
sas delegation was a classic gem. He
said in selecting the committees he
found in the Kansas delegation excep-
tional material, saying that in his
search he had carefully considered eX-
perience, industry, ability, integrity OF
purpose. He spoke of Scott as chair
man of the great agricultural commit
tee and why he appointed him. He re-
ferred to Calderhead's modesty. ability
and the esteem in which he was held
in congress and the fact that he had
put him upon the great ways and
means committee. He spoke of the
Craftsmanship of the powerful commit
tee on claims to which he had assigned
Miller. of the important committee of
poS6offices and post roads on which he
had placed Murdoch, and of the mill
tary committee a member of which h
had made our newest representative,
Anthony. The speaker had named
Reeder chairman of the irrigation conf
mittee and had put Campbell on the
District of Columbia committee, max
ing him virtually an alderman of that
great city. To Madison he had given
place on the important committees of
labor and insular affairs.
Kansas with only one forty-ninth of
the membership of the house has been
given by the speaker. one-eighth of the
important places on the committees.
Under Whose Thumb?
Speaker Cannon explained informally
much that is not well known about
house procedure and the house rules.
He laughed at the idea that certain
Kansas representatives were under his
thumb. He said: why Miller would
be one of the last. Do you know that
Congressman Miller had clash with
the president over big claim, Miller
being chairman of that house commit
and Miller the president
over to his way? Some one said down
in SCOTS district to the congressman:
Scott. 1 would like to vote for you.
but can't, you are under the thumb
of that car speaker l appointed Mr..
Scott al chairman of the agricultural
committee and I am proud of the ap-
pointment. Doesn't it rather look to
you that I am under the thumb of
Scott to give him such place, rather
than he is under mine? 1 have never
as speaker attempted to control the
action of a single committee on a sim
gle bill in reporting it. or refusing to
report it. Why do you know the speak
err can be removed in an hour by the
house. a majority is only necessary.
Twenty Republicans out of the 800
ference of fifty bring any bill from any
committee before the house for con-
sideration.'
"A Heart TO Heart Talk"
The Topeka Capital in its report
says FOLLOWING the luncheon the |
guests drew up about Speaker Cannon
and engaged the genial 'Autocrat of |
the House in an informal heart to
heart talk on the house rules and |
the limitations on his |
own power the problems of the !
speakership and the speakers rela- |
ton to congress. to the country and |
to legislation. Somebody asked Mr..
Cannon in the midst of his entertain
ing account of congressional pro
in your speeches. Mr.. Cannons |
eyes twinkled as he replied, %. my |
audience would go to sleep on me- |
Speaker Cannon is a famous racon- |
teur and the guests found to their /
qualification yesterday that he is not
averse to monologue. His relation OF |
some of his experiences during his |
long life at Washington and his dis |
cussion of the problems of his Of |
fee, of the enmities he has aroused. |
Of the duties and difficulties of |
managing the 1870 congressman so |
more entertaining than it is possible |
perhaps for a formal public speech to |
be. Before the party returned to To- |
peka to enable Mr.. Cannon to meet a |
dinner engagement with Mr.. and Mrs. |
E. Austin the speaker described the |
various Kansas members and stated |
that by reason of their long average |
of continuous service they rank with /
the strongest and most influential |
delegations"
Governor and Speaker Have Jolly Time |
The Kansas City Journal of this |
morning says in its Topeka CORES
pondence:
"At a Washington meeting in May |
left Cd oh |
about the duty of the ma |
tional congress to aid in keeping |
liquor out of prohibition states. The |
governor. after giving his views as to |
the legislation that ought to pass con-
gress. said he was not a lawyer.
at is unnecessary for you to tell |
me that retorted the speaker. That |
riled Hoch. who thought the speaker /
was trying to humiliate him before /
that crowd of Methodists. The speak |
er didn't intend it that way. 1t was
one of the speakers jokes. But Hoch |
went away miffed, and remained that |
way.
when it was announced that
Speaker Cannon was to speak in To-
peka. the governor did not know /
whether to attend the meeting. He |
also hesitated about attending a |
luncheon to be given the speaker. But |
he accepted the invitation, and now he |
is probably glad of it.
ION their return from the dinner, |
fate decreed that the speaker, Cover |
nor Hoch and Senator Long ride in /
the same auto.
ION their way in. the speaker edged |
up to the subject. He said he had the |
unhappy faculty sometimes of making |
people mad at his jokes. He recount |
ed the offense Bryan took a him the |
other day because he accused him of i
making a million dollars by windjam- |
ming. Then he referred to the Wash |
ington conference with the Methodists, |
and said he understood that Governor |
Hoch had felt aggrieved at some re- |
mark which he had made. The gov
ernor didn't admit it. But Uncle Joe
knew all about it.
"'You know. governor. that some |
times a man makes a mistake by try |