Evening star., 1909-03-14

creed His courage was described as
that born of conscience. originating in
the loftiest conception of public duty.
Courage Born Of Conscience"
Continuously for more than third OF
a century he has been in the calcium light
of publicity" continued Mr.. Rodenberg,
land as that light has grown stronger
with succeeding years 1t has served only
to reveal more and more clearly his
transcendent qualities of head and heart
until today the fair-minded people of the
United States with one accord reSalu
Joseph G.. Cannon as one OF the greatest
and most forceful of American statesmen.
His very name is a synonym for integrity,
guarantee of consistency and MS
masterful militant record as member =,
of Congress for thirty-four years Is an
inspiration to the struggling AMBITIOUS
youth of the land
.Three times he has been honored by his
republican colleagues with their unan-
imous vote for the speakership OF this
House a position second only In prestige
and Importance to the presidency itself
With conSummate skill and unfaiterlne
frmness he has kept the legislative snip
in the middle of the channel OF progress,
weathering all the storms of unjust crit
icism avoiding the rocks of radicalism on
the one hand and the shoals or ultra
conservatism on the other Today ne
stands forth in all the splendor OF ma
tured intellectually. vigorous In mind and
body, better equipped than ever to dis
charge the duties of the high office which
he has so signally honored for six years,
challenging the admiration of every
American who believes in doing honor to
brave and manly man.
Mr.. Chairman catching the spirit that
breathes upon us from the glorious men,
orieS of an earlier day, the spirit that
gave birth TO the republican party, of
which he was one of the founders. in re-
sponse to the admiring sentiment of the
republican membership of this House,
nominate for Speaker of the siXty-first
Congress the Iron Duke of American
politics. Joseph G.. Cannon
Mr.. Cannon Returns Thanks.
Responding to the demands for
speech. Speaker Cannon said:
Il thank you for the mark Of your
continued confidence and esteem, and in
the term to come. as in the past, shall
endeavor SO to conduct myself in the
high office for which you propose me as
to further the best interests of the
United States and merit your approval.
We have before us most difficult
session. Tariff legislation is in class
by itself. and from the standpoint of
practical legislation presents more diff
ficult problems than any other kind of
legislation. A tariff bill is general in
that it affects the whole great subject
of revenue: but at the same time it is
enters every district and affects the
products of every farm and factory.
Irhe approaching legislation, therefore.
Will bring with 1t peculiar difficulties
and unusual temptations. While we
must regard with solicitous care the
interests of the people we represent
individually, We must on the other hand
keep constantly in mind that our first
duty is to the United States as a whole
that its revenues may be sufficient for
its needs and that it's industrial life
may continue to flourish in the future
under our care, Is 1t has f1ouriShed in
the past under the distinguished men
who have preceded us as trustees under
the Constitution.
The work before us will call for much
industry. for unusual self-restraint and
termined purpose that the responsible po-
litical party in the House Of Repre-
sentatives shall in due time return to the
people with its trust fulfilled to the satis-
faction of all reasonable men.
Good Work and Done Quickly.
1T is not only necessary that we do our
work we'll; 1t is essential that We do 1t as
quickly as is consistent with thorough
ness. The industries OF over eighty mill
lion people await our motions. The news
papers tell us. as one Of the symptoms Of
industrial prostration. that 100000 freight
cars lie idle on the sidings.
ne power OF tne people Ine CnlteQ
States. through their representatives, to
fix their own revenues and control their
own expenditures Is one of the sublimest
attributes of our liberty-consecrated by
the suffering and the lives of generations
of patriots. We must exercise that power
with industry and diligence. that the ex-
pectations of the people may be realized
without undue delay.
Best System Of Rules.
The wisdom of those who have pre-
ceded us in this House has left US a sys-
TEN of rules the most efficient that ever
guided a legislative body as large as the
House Of Representatives.. Every step in
making those rules efficient was resisted
bitterly. and the men who stood up for
the rules were misrepresented by every
interest affected by their action and crit
icised by large army of innocent vic
Tins of Misrepresentation. But misrep-
resentation dies with the day. Now those
men SO much criticised then are COM
mended on every hand. while a new brood
of misrepresentation arouses new criti-
cisms against those who today continue
the work OF the past. These things will
also pass away, and when present mis-
understandings have died away We also
shall have the commentator OF the flu
ture. if only we remain true to ourselves
and to our trust
This was what Speaker Cannon said for
publication. But after he had got the
above out OF his system he got down to
business and gave regulation old-time
heart-to-heart talk TO his boys" as he
calls the republican regulars in the House.
He talked straight from the shoulder, too,
and didn't mince words in discussing the
present fight on the rules.
Georgia Democrats Petition.
The Georgia delegation In the House
held meeting yesterday, and by a vote
OF TO = adopted a petition to the demo-
cratic caucus of Monday that was re-
Rarded as highly significant. The other
four representatives from Georgia are out
of the city.
The petition asked the democrats, be-
fore entering into an agreement with the
republican "insurgents,' to bind the lat
step to three policies. One was to vote
against Mr.. Cannon for Speaker until his
successor is elected. Another was to join
with the democrats in providing for free
debate and the privilege of Offering
amendments on the floor Of the House 10
every schedule of the tariff bill The
third was TO vote for the adoption by the
House of new system OF rules.
A committee consisting of Representa-
tives Howard. Brantley and Livingston
presented the petition to Minority Leader
Clark. 1t was denied that the five Georgia
democrats would bolt the democratic eau.
Gus IL their suggestions were not adopted
The support Of the new members from
Iowa is the object OF bitter fight among
the regular and ''insurgent' republicans
Representatives Pickett, Good, Kendall