The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-09-04

In political circles here Uncle Joe" Cannon continues to be fruitful topic of discusslon. The recent outburst of Representative Nicholas Longworth of Ohio in a declaration that he will not support Cannon for another term in the speakers chair, in the event that the re- publicans elect the majority of the next House, recalls the fact that there has rot been caucus fight for the speaker ship on the republican side of the House since December 1889, the beginning of the Fifty-first Congress.
 In that Congress the candidates for speaker were Reed of Maine, Henderson of Iowa, Cannon of Illinois, Burrows of Michigan, and Mckinley of Ohio. After a sharp fight Reed was elected. He served through the stormest United States Con gross of which history tells
 The next two congresses, the Fifty-sec- ond and F'ifty-third, were democratic. By reason of having been speaker in the Fifty-first Congress Reed received the speahership nomination in those two con- gresses, which carried with 1t the re- publican floor leadership.
 In the Fifty-fourth Congress. which was republican by an overwhelming majority. the Maine statesman was nominated for speaker in the caucus by exclamation which was repeated in the F'iftyfifth Con 
 gress.
 Before the end of his term MT. Reed announced his purpose to retire from pub lie life This announcement came after the elections in November, which contin- ued the republicans In control of the House Very soon after Reeds announce ment of his intended retirement Tender son of Iowa announced his candidacy for the speakership. So di Sherman of New York, Dalzell of Pennsylvania and Hop kins and Cannon, of Illinois. Hopkins beat .IJncle Joe" to 1t by several days, with the result that he divided the Illinois dele gation.
 When the delegation met to caucus and decide on Hopkins or Cannon Uncle Joe" withdrew In favor of Hopkins, remarking at the time that Hopkins was the weakest man in the race.
 All this took place during the Interim, and when Congress met in December the various state delegations had decided how they would vote so that when the repub- licans met in caucus Henderson's name was the only one presented for speaker.
 This was the first time that the se lecting of a speaker, where there were rivals for the honor, had ever been settled outside of a party caucus.
 The same course was pursued after Henderson announced his retirement from Congress, which was before the November election. 1902. MT. Cannon's candidacy for the speakership was known, his friends presenting his name to the members immediately after the public announcement from Speaker Henderson that he would not be candidate for Congress, although he had been renominated
 Several other republicans entered the field against Cannon but the vari- ous state delegations, especially the older members. tn lught that Uncle Joe" ought to have the post and so announced their intention to vote for him. He was unanimously chosen in the caucus which met in November, 1903. He was also selected in the two succeeding Congresses as the unanimous choice in his party; but when the Sixtyfirst Congress met he encountered the opposition of some 25 or 30 insurgents, who had breathed vengeance against the Cannon rules" The Cannon organization, however, weathered the storm.
 If precedent is followed. should the House be controlled by the democrats, "Uncle Joe" would be honored with the caucus nomination, which carries with 1t the floor leadership, as 1t is hardly probable that the leading republicans whose names have been mentioned as candidates for speaker would make determined fight for the caucus nomin- ation, which Is regarded as an empty honor for the minority.
 It will be noted that the five re- publicans who aspired to be speaker in the Fifty-first Congress were sue- cessful in going higher in the political world. McKin. ey became governor If his state and later President; Burrows was transferred to the Senate, ana Reed. Henderson and Cannon served as