The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-11-27
SPEAKER CANNON
DECLARES WAR
Congressman Says He viii
Fight the Insurgents
NEWSPAPERS ARE CRITICISED
Cannon Taxes Editors to Task For Al
legged misleading Statements and
Says Public Men Do Not
Need Aid of Newspapers.
NEWSPAPERS ARE CRITICISED

Kansas City, November 26.-"When Sen
ators Cummins, LaFollette and Bristow,
and their so-called progressive follow
ing. Join hands with Mr.. Bryan on max
ing war on the republican members of
Congress who passed the tariff bill and
the President who signed it, in that con-
test L know of but one way to treat
them, and that is to fight them just as we
fight Mr. Bryan and his following
Such was the declaration of Speaker
Cannon. who delivered the principal ad-
dress before the knife and Fork club
here tonight.
Mr. Cannon said Senator Cummlns alone
had read himself out of the republican
party. He defended the rules OF the
House, saying they will remain substan-
tially as they have been and are, so long
as there is Congress
"Ilyer since history began" said the
speaker 1.-The man In the minority mas
been seeking some device by which ne
could overcome the will of the majority
Mr.. Cannon asserted that wnne the
Payne tariff law is not perfect, IL IL the
best one ever passed under republican
leadership, that since the enactment OIL
the new law, production in the country
have greatly increased, and day by day
conditions are improving. The 'insur-
GENTS, and their followers, he said, are
seeking to hinder the progress of pros
peritv by criticism and denunciation, and
this. too. within three months OF the en-
actment of the tariff law. Only suoh agl-
tation can halt the prospective era OF
prosperity, said the speaker.
Demaoouue Scored.
Continuing. Mr.. Cannon said:
..The demagogue we have always with
ns and as ours is a governpaent of the
neople the only way to dispose OF him Is
TO move on. I am perfectly Wiling 10
trust the verdict of prosperous and
amy people in the elections in Novem-
her 1910. after the new tariff law has been
in operation for over year
/ Az the conclusion of his prepared
sneech. which he read, Speaker Cannon
indulped in some extemporaneous re-
o,rs IN which he became vehement in
his objection to the attitude of a local
naner toward him He quoted the paper
as sta ting in today's issue that Speaker
Cannon realizes that his popularity is on
the wane," and declared In response TO
, that statement that during his long life
he had never turned his back upon
friend or face away from an enemy.
"Wiu YOU print tndt. iie yciicu 'o"oiN
the press table, and added:
"I am sorry the editor of the paper Is
not here to answer me himself"
Newspapers Criticised.
Speaker Cannon, deploring what he ex-
n,ained ss the custom Of some newspa-
pers to mislead their readers by an in
renious arrangement Of headlines and
;ntimated that the support of newspapers
was not always necessary for the Sue
cess Of a man in public life He cited a
recent election In the Sixth Illinois con-
erassjonal destrict, where, he said. the
successful candidate was opposed BY
manv of the leading papers Of Chicago.
Ridiculing the charge that the Payne
taries law was enacted for the benefit
of New England interests. the speaker
citaa numerous statistics to support his
dscIaration that the products OF New
England manufacturers had shown a de-
c;ded decrease under republican protec-
ttor nolices as compared with the in
crease of manufacturers In other states.
Irorner Congressman John Allen of
NFiss;ssippi who also addressed the club.
supported the arguments of Speaker. Can
non In defending the rules of the House
or representatives. but he said he could
not agreed with Speaker Cannon, Sena-
tor AIdrich and President Taft that the
PAYNE law was the best tariff law ever
enacted.