River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1909-03-04
CANNON DEFENDS
RULES OF HOUSE
SPEAKER INcENSED BY A MAGA-
ZINE EDITORS ATTACK.
WRITES cAUSTIc LETTER
Says Fundamental Principles of the
Rules Were Laid Down in Days
of jefferson and
Madison.

Madison.
Washington, Mar. 1.-Incensed by
an attack alleged to have been made
upon himself and the rules of the
house of representatives by Ed
ward E. Higgins, president of
Success Magazine, in a circular letter
to the life subscribers" of that publ
cation, Speaker Cannon has made pub
lie a letter he had written to one of
his constituents in which he vigorous
ly defends the house rules.
''The rules may not be IDEAL" writes
the speaker, "but they have stood the
test among those who know them, in
spite of half century of denunciation
such as Mr.. Higgins puts forth. The
foundation principles of the rules
were laid down more than century
ago under the leadership of Jefferson
and Madison. They have been per-
fected from year to year to meet the
needs Of a growing representation of
a growing nation, just as the law of
the land is developed
Writes to Neoga Man.
Speaker Cannons letter was in re-
Spouse to one from F. o. Voris of Ne
oga, Ill, inclosing copy of the cir
cular. Mr.. Cannon states that he had
previously received several letters
from Mr.. Higgins informing him that
he was making a poll of his life sub
scribers as to whether he should be
elected speaker again and whether
the rules of the house should be re-
vised.
"This is an age of advertising, =
writes the speaker, land it has be-
come almost a science. l receive hun
dreds of letters from men and women
who would instruct me in my duties
as a representative and as speaker.
They all merit the consideration due
to the intelligence and consciousness
they display in the presentation OF
views; no more and no less. | receive
letters from men who denounce the
legislature, the executive, the judici-
ary the law, the church, and the rules
of the house of representatives. One
publisher makes it a point to denOunce
the narrowing influence of religion on
our civilization, and demands legisla-
ton that will destroy this influence;
another denounces the fundamental
law of the land, and would destroy the
constitution and the statutes; clever
stock broker sends out bulletins at
lacking the executive, and another adj
Vertises his attack on business. Mr..
Higgins employs the same methods
the house
About Representing the Interests"
"He attacks the present speaker as
representing the interests -whatever
that may mean. / confess / do not
know, but / have noticed the use OF
the expression by those who, while
ready to attack men in public life. still
have a regard for the libel laws, and
seek to discredit without assuming the
responsibility for simple and direct &C
cusations which they might have to
prove or suffer the consequences. Mr.
Higgins has this same respect for the
law, while he apparently makes free
to insinuate unworthiness against
lawmakers.
GAS to the criticism which Mr.. Hig.
gins makes of the rules and the ad.
ministration of them by the speaker,
little need be said. His letter shows
that he knows nothing of what he
writes. That will be evident to any
one who has ever studied the rules or
observed carefully and honestly their
administration. A man who, without
having studied the law of the land or
practiced in the courts, should criti
else and denounce Unfortunately the
law and the courts, simply because he
had heard the complaints of lawyers
who had lost their cases, would re-
ceive from the community the atten
ton to which his ignorance and his
presumption fairly entitle him.
but it seems that anyone, after
having sat at the feet of persons dis
satisfied with legislation or disgruntled
because of the failure of proposed leg
islation, may become patriot and a
molder of opinion by denouncing the
rules which adjust the rights and rela-
lions and secure the efficiency of a
body of 391 members, representing the
complex interests of 90,000,000 peo-
pie"