The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1909-05-25
JOE CANNON At 73.
Speaker of the House Frisky as
a Colt.
BELIEVES IN WORKING HARD.
@Put Best Foot Forward and Keep
Adjusting" Is His Rule of Life.
Danced Jig Few Weeks Ago and
outshuffled an Orchestra-Strong In
His Likes and DisIikes.


His Likes and DisIikes.
Uncle Joe Cannon, the speaker of
the house, having survived the ordeal
Of his seventy-third birthday. looked
as clipper the other day as he did ten
years ago. He appeared just as pug
nacious, too, as ever, and he said he
expected to be around and doing
things" on good many more BIRTH
days. He put In his seventy third an
niversary much the same as he does
every other working day in the year.
After call on President Taft and a
visit to the committee ON appropria-
tons he put a red carnation on the
lapel of his coat and waded through a
mass Of letters and kilograms of con-
graduation.
The speaker stands pat on his decla-
ration that this country Is a hell Of a
success" This was a quotation as
cribed to the speaker which properly
summed up his estimate of the United
States.
II don't believe | said it." said the
speaker. 1T shocked a lot of good
people, but 1t lasted, and it's true. In
this country, where 80 per cent Of the
people are trying to push ahead, where
they are racing to get in advance of
the other 10 per cent, 1t Is up to those
in the rear to try to equal them by
using their mental and physical abil-
ity. The country has no patience with
those who are disconnected and abnor-
NAL The applause is for the one In
front. The man who attains power
and keeps 1t deserves his success.
Carping and complaining will not adj
vance the man in the rear. He must
put his best foot forward ami try his
hardest"
These sentiments were born with
Uncle Joe in Guilford, N. c., on May
Z, 1885, It was the practice of these
sentiments that got him into public
life and kept him there He has spent
thfrty-four years In the house Of rep
resentatives. Prior to that eight years
were given to the state of Illinois as
a district attorney. In all Of that time
Joseph G. Cannon has been trying, and
trying hard. He has had to try, be-
cause leadership in the house of rep
resentatfves Is not birthright or a
legacy. The man who wins must be
the best politician Of 800 other best
politicians OF the United States.
Aside from the constitutional au-
thority to preside over the house, the
speaker has d wealth of political wis
dom us q scepter Of power. With
these two attributes he has popularity
and an iron hand. Seven years ago he
was elected speaker of the Fifty
eighth congress. He took the gayel
from General Henderson Of Iowa.
Speaker Henderson had taken the
place Of Gar Reed and his rules along
with It, Speaker Cannon has taken
the Reed rules and outczaref the car.
No man who has ever presided over
the house has dominated it as COM
pletely as the present occupant Of the
chair. True, many fights have been
made on him, but not once has the OPP
position been able to put much Of
dent In the iron dukes" arlnor.
Although seventy and weighed
down with more problems and cares
Of state than many a younger man
could shoulder, the speaker is as frisky
as colt and likes to show It. At
dinner OF the Jamestown survivors d
few weeks ago he danced a Jig in
with a boy of twenty five.
He put such life In Turkey In the
Straw" that the Hungarian orchestra
called It day and knocked off with
Uncle Joe still shutting.
Uncle Joe Is strong In his likes and
lislikes. Strongest of his dislikes is
his contempt for the man who tries to
Upset the standing order Of things by
lemagogy or appeals to popular fancy.
His heartiest like is for green corn on
he cob. It is told that while he was
| new member Of congress he boarded
It Washington hotel which put up an
EXCELLENT lot OF green corn. Mr.. Can
ION had invited friend to dine with |
him. When the corn ON the cob was
brought In the congressman fell to |
With vigor, inviting the man from |
lone to pitch in" The guest side
topped the corn, but Uncle Joe kept |
fter 1t until he had finished about six
airs. Then he insisted on his friend I
akil1g some, and when he refused I'm
lie Joe started again, mot to let it
poll He was just polishing up the
ast ear when the guest broke In with.
SAY, Joe, don't you think 1t would
e little bit cheaper for you to board
ma livery stable?
The speaker has a wholesome regard
or the United States senate, but he
as an old fashioned idea that the
ouse Is the superior branch. So it
appens that when messenger from
he senate arrives and addresses .sMr.
peaker with lowly bow Mr.. Can
on sits bolt upright and says, "aIr.
ecretary without the bow. A friend
hided him for this and told him that
was customary to bow to the SEN
te's messenger.
The whole d. senate can't make
le bow to 1t, and I'll be d. lie I'll