Omaha daily bee., 1909-12-12

The central figure in every discussion Of
the American congress today is the speaker
of the house Of representatives. Joseph G,
Cannon. Uncle Joe" Is a character. He
is as much of a character in American
politics as was the rugged Andrew Jack
son, the terrible John Randolph of Roam
oke or the imperious Roscoe Conkling, and
he shares with those three interesting his
toricsl personages the distinction OF being
always positive, never negative. Uncle Joe
IL a republican. therefore he hates the
democratic party and all its works, If he
likes a man he will go 10 any proper length
to show his affection. II he disapproves
OF a man there Is no language too severe
to express his feelings. Consequently those
persons who admire Mr.. Cannon accord
him a whole-souled and unquestioning 10y
atty which is akin to i~nfatuation, and those
who do not admire him are apt to use the
entire supply of invectives in expressing
their opinions.
1t appears that there are fashions in Can
nonism. The speaker can remember when
he was hailed all over the country as the
ideal leader OF the western republlcanism-
that was before some Of the 'fair-heired
boys Of the uplift magazines were born.
He also remembers when he was denounced
by a large section OF the press and by all
democrats as 'dirty-mouthed Cannon"
SIN later the whole country adopted him
as its uncle" and embarrassed him with
gifts OF homespun suits and yarn socks and
hand-knit "galluses.' just to show that the
country saw In Uncle Joe the incarnation
Of those homely virtues which all Ameri-
cans affect To regard so highly. And now
Uncle joe, being the same man and re-
membering all those things, is bsing abused
by most democrats and some republicans
because he is a ear and is alleged to
nave decamped with the liberties OF the
american people secreted In tn same vest
pocket where he carries, ready for instant
use. cigars, Vermillion county, Illinois, the
republican house organization and a per
fectly warm estimate of the usefulness "a
society Of Messrs, Bryan. Gompsrs and La
Toilette.
There are many men, no doubt, who are
able TO give a perfectly impartial estimate
of Mr.. Cannon's ability and craftsmanship
but there IL none who win do II. Either
Mr.. Cannon is the good old Uncle Joe who
Is standing bravely at the head OF the con-
s~ervative forces fighting Organism. social,
ism and the devil, OF he Is an a~ntiquated
] AhlN AAAh W bhHh+ y WHY FAllNli
in the interest Of public progress and mod
4 ern economics, OF course he is neither
one nor the other-he is not the only hope
Of the conservatism nor the only enemy OF
progress, for sometimes he is progressive
and sometimes he opposes the conserva-
tives. One thing however, is certain. He
is always a republican.
Mr.. Cannon will be "A years old when he
celebrates his next birthday, May s, lie
was O. when he was first elected speaker
the Oldest nan ever called 10 the chair OF
the house. Yet he is as vigorous today in
mind and body as are most men Of 90, and
20 IL young In congress-, Re does not ap-
pear TO feel the handicap OF his years In
any fashion, and he is ready al any time
to prove 10 the insurgents" that he Is
capable Of putting up a very high grad,
OF fight,
He was born In Guilford county, North
Carolina. in 1885, OF Quaker parents. wher