The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-12-24
An Opportunity for Leadership Lost


The plan Of taking away from the
Speaker of the House tho naming of tho
committees and creating many headed
committees to make the selections is
vigorously opposed by Colonel HENRY
WATTERsON. who declares that In adopt
it would be sending the House to sea in
an open boat without r,idder or compass
or a pilot. manned BY COP knows whom. ="
The matter, however. seems To he de-
cided in spite Of sober counsel and the
gravest misgivlngs.
II was 20 be expected that when the
hue and cry against the Hon JOSEPH G..
CANNON brought about n modification
OF the rules the attempt would be- made
TO reduce the Speaker TO an aiitomaton.
lifting and letting fall a gavel and an
nouncing that the ayes or the noes had
IT, The tyrant tanned. the House would
do business in its own way nv a sort of
referendum: instead of two leaders OF
e. the responsible majority, ON. in tn.
chair and one on the floor, there world
be as many leaders as there were men
who had the lungs to make themselves
heard. Colonel WATTERsoN assumes
that there was nothing for the Hon
CHAMP CLARK to do but fall in with the
plan to deprive the Speaker of the au-
tnority 10 maze up Inc committees. which
has usually been exercised with good
judgment, men OF merit and industry
being preferred and men of experience
promoted We do not share the opinion
that the assent of Mr. CLARK springs
rather from the Missourian : desire not
to appear Grasping and dctatorial. or
to set himself against what seems a
resistless movement. than from his
better Judgment as an old and tried
member Of the House. Our impression
il that the minority leader was shaken
with fears that h" might not be- Speaker
if he asserted his better Judgment as
an old and tried member OF the House
In short. he weakly surrendered. Thus
was lost a shining opportunity TO prove
that he had in him the stuff OF which
true leaders are made II would have
bsen better to make fight, even if he
lost the gavel. II takes brains and
courage To preside over the House as
Mr.. CANNON has done. Col. WATTERsoN
says with no more than justice:
In bidding Uncle jos good by as Speaker 10, ne
again take OF my hat to him as good an American
as know. and have known him ave and thirty
years: the incarnA ton OF orthodO, Republican.
ISM Incapable OF breach Of trust. sometime,
using . hickory stick with a knot OF TWO where
HLAHR used a sccpTe and REED a rapier bu,
personally deserving all the honor and all The
and self-respec,inx men owe 10 probI,y and vaIor
never falling and long sustained.
Mr.. CLARK Of Missouri is man of abi-
ity and good American too, but with
tho privilege Of selecting his coworkers
and lieutenants taken away from him
and exercised by group of mon who
have shoIildered their way into the
COMMITTEES on Committees he will have
precious little oppor' unity 10 guide and
lead the ma jority -, 20 show his mettle
vt Is to be feared that the House will as
often be a mob az n delibcrative BODY,
and in q few months this new SPEAKER is
likely 20 lose the reputation he has been
sixteen years in acquiring II will he "A
situation unfavorable 10 good legisla-
ton, but eminently suited tn log roll
ing and Treasury raiding Particularly
ought il 10 suit the minority. led. IA il
probably will he, by the astutest ana
coolest man on the floor the Hon.
JOSEPH g. CANNON himself