The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1909-08-13

advantageous positions on those COM
mittees. while those who refuse TO wear
this yoke of Cannonism are given mi
nor committee appointments and, In
every other way imaginable. humiiiat-
ed, in the hope of robbing them or
their independence.
AT the beginning of the recent ses-
sion of congress, there was a deter
mined effort put forth by certain nom
partisans to bring about, by omni-
partisan effort change in this condl-
ton of affairs along three distinct
lines: First, by taking out of the hands
of the speaker the power Of appointing
committees and providing thai they be
chosen by the representatives thsm-
pose into divisions corresponding to
the natural divisions of our country:
secondly, by making it possible on GER
tain days for any member to call up
fer consideration any bill, without
having previously asked the speak
er for the privilege of doing so and
having received his consent; and.
thirdly, by restoring the American prin-
ciple of free speech to this represen
tative American body, as it was orig
inally designed to be exercised.
The general tendency of this move
was to make the house more strictly
democratic and destroy the oligarchy
which has been growing more and
more pronounced ever since the pres
ent speaker assembled the throne. And
that this movement had the backing
OF majority of the American people,
there is little doubt. for the American
people have no patience with despot-
ism. But just as it seemed, certain of
success, certain alleged democrats. who
We're promised positions of influence
which they had coveted for years but
had been denied. and few republicans
whose life had been rendered so mis-
cradle for them as to give them that
too-common complaint among public
men. commonly known as, cold feet"
deserted the reorganizationists and
Canncnism. with some slight conces-
siOns. was adopted.
But your Uncle Joe" never forgets;
he prepared a very careful list of all
the men, especially republicans. who
did not do his bidding and when the
time for making committee appoint
ments came, just before the adjourn
duce every man who had rum counter
to his notions to the lowest positions
that were at his disposal, hoping there
by to gain two ends. whip the insur-
rectionists into line and retain. absolute
control of the machinery of the house
He has thus confirmed in the minds of
many American people an opinion
which has been forming during the
years, namely that Joseph G.. Cannon,
Of Illinois, speaker of the house OF
is q man whose cali
Der is entirely too small for the pos:
ton which he is filing and that he will
resort to all OF the iniquities of the
spoils system in order to carry out his
plans.
: But those of us who are tired of
and have hoped for its ter
that he has made, for we believe that
the American people will rise up now
In the majesty and power of their man
hood nd demand the removal of this
autocratic despot from the position
which he now holds as we'll as the
overthrow of the system which he has
arrogated to himself; and if the re-
publican party refuses to grant their
wishes they will accomplish their
righteous erCs by sweeping the re-
publican party from power and placing
men of the opposing party in their
places. Cannonism can not for long
retain it's grip on our repre sentative
legislative body: the house of -epre-
SentatiVes must and will be restored
to its traditional position as the rep
resentative American legislative body.
One of the ratifying things from a