The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1909-01-06
TAWNEY is CHIEF GUNNER,
SHERLEY, FITZGERALD AND
SMITH ARE FAITHFUL POW.
DER PASSERS.
Special corrsspo,dencs to The Prssi

Special Corrsspo,dencs TO The Prsss
| WASHINGTON, D. c., Jan. g.
L. White Busbey, mentioned in
President Roosevelt's message on
the secret service, is the man who
made Joe Cannon famous.
He is the author of uncle Joe,
the homespun statesmen of the
plain people"
He introduced Cannon to the
world in this character, for he is,
in word, his press agent. For 20
years Busbey was just hard work.
ing, faithful newspaper correspond
ent. For many of these years he
represented the Chicago Inter
Ocean in Washington. He wrote
about politics and politicians, and
he made many acquaintances and
friends. Among the latter was
Joseph G. Cannon. congress man
from Illinois. About five years ago
Busbey got-an inspiration-why not
became an impresario? Why not
star this man Cannon, bring him
out, dress him up (as it were) and
make him popular? Why not in
troduce him to the world as the
only living successor to Abraham
Lincoln, the only surviving speci-
men of the self made, rail splitting
statesman from Illinois las the nov
els say. No sooner said than done.
The victim lent himself shrewdly
to the game. He posed the neces-
sary poses and ok'd the necessary
interviews. Busbey handed the
press agent stuff to his many
friends among the correspondents,
and it went beautifully.
The watch dog of the treasury"
business was worked to the limit.
Some South Carolina folks sent up
a homespun pair of trousers.
Others sent wool hat and mittens.
The hard common sense" "the
Lincolnesque exterior" the hum
BILE beginnings" and other touches
were laid on in vivid colors, and
Uncle Joe" began to be national
figure.
1t was about this time that Hen
derson of Iowa, Cannon's prede-
cessor as speaker, had begun to de-
cline; and it was clear that new
speaker would soon have to be
chosen. That was where Busbey
and his publicity counted. A vigor-
Gus stroke did the work. A man
from the west" was the demand. A
plain man of the people, an Tex
perienced and economical man, "a
man used to being watch dog of
the treasury and accustomed to
congressional ways" OF course
such was "Uncle Joe" Cannon of
Illinois.
After Busbey had elected Cannon
speaker he was offered the position
of secretary to the speaker. Busbey
was not tempted by it at first, but
finally decided to carry it as a side
line. He took the appointment and
kept up the work for his paper. But
the duties became too Onerous and
he was compelled to decide which
to keep. 1t was about this time
that the far sighted began to figure
on the retirement of Roosevelt.
What was done along that line is
already known to the world. Can
non made good progress as a can
didate and might have won if 1t
had not dawned on the world that
much of the ''homespun" business
was "press agenting" and that on
his record Cannon was rather a
bad lot
That there is no love lost be-
tween Roosevelt and Cannon is no
deep secret. And of course Busbey
feels as Cannon does. When he
writes a story in the Inter Ocean
on the secret service, he reflects
Cannon's views, and when Cannon
has an amendment stuck on some
appropriation aimed to hamstring
I the secret service he reflects Bus
Dey VIEWS. IL is all III CHe ldiully.
The same is true in a lesser de-
gree about others mentioned in
the presidents message. Tawney
was named by Cannon to the most
important committee appointment
in the house, thot of appropria-
tons. He is the man who holds
the purse-practically the whole
billion dollar budget goes through
his hands. A word cuts a salry or
abolishes an office-or vice versa.
It is to give or to take. The posi-
ton is one of great power. In all
his acts, Tawney acknowledges
first allegiance to Cannon. what
Cannon wants Is done. II it were