The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-02-15
LAYS ASIDE GAVEL.
''UncIe joe Addresses House in Favor
of River and Harbor Bill

Washington, Feb. 15.-tIf we lose
sight of our own Importance and OF
our own position for the time being
there will come in our places better
and wiser men who will not lose sigh
of the necessity to provide for an or
derby procedure under which a ma
jority can work it's will; where re-
sponsibility rests there must be power
with the majority to move on, being
responsible"
gavel and speaking from the floor OF
the House merely as "the gentleman
from Illinois," sounded this warning to
his colleagues.
Representative Cannon arose for the
purpose of lending his approval to the
pending rivers and harbors appropria-
ton BILL but during his 20 minute
speech he took occasion to refer light
ly to magazine and newspaper criti-
cism and to remind the min Ority mem
bers that the power of the majority
was futile unless enforced by we'll
oiled machine.
1t was while Representative FitZger-
aid (Dem.) had the floor that mem
bers were surprised to see the speaker
rise from seat in their midst and in
quire:
win the gentleman from New York
yield to me?"
'T will yield to the gentleman be-
lieve from Illinois" replied Mr.. Fitz-
gerald.
Mr.. Cannon told the house how he
had voted for rivers and harbors bill
during President Arthur's administra-
ton and explained he had voted to
pass the measure over the presidents
veto. He said he had had some trouble
in justifying that vote before his con-
stituents, but said he did so.
81 thanked God then as 1 thank God
now" said Mr.. Cannon, that that
constituency, agricultural district as it
is today, had the patriotism crossed
with breadth and intelligence to stand
by me at the polls
AS the speaker was enlarging upon
the need of breadth of view to obtain
approval all over the country for ap-
preparations for river and harbor i'm
provements, Representative Dalzell
of Pennsylvania, who occupied the
chair. began hammering- the desk be-
fore him with the speakers gavel.
THE time of the gentleman has ex-
PRED" he explained in mock sever
ity.
May 1 have a minute more? ?"
pleaded the speaker.
Mr.. Fitzgerald then obtained I'M
animous consent to have his time ex-
tended five minutes, and Mr.. Can
non proceeded. With the eye of
prophecy he saw the nations popula-
ton growing from ninety to five hun
dred million.
AIT0dUy we nave dIIHOSL OnS-HdlI
of the railroad mileage of this EARTH"
he declared, carrying one-third of
the products of the civilized world
back and forth to market. Long be-
fore the 500,000.000 are here, if we
are to depend upon railway Transport
tation alone we will have the railway
mileage multiplied by two, multiplied
by three and multiplied by four. It
is a long work to add to nature suf-
ficient depth of water to carry the
great and constantly increasing COM
MERGE"
Referring to his trip down the Mis-
sissippi with President Taft in con-
nection with newspaper attacks at
that time, Mr.. Cannon said:
When I turned to come back from
received and that many others re-
ceived, not founded upon correct
foundation, 1t made me wonder
whether I was afoot or horseback,
whether I was 1 or somebody else.
expect we will continue to receive all
kinds of correct and fake informa-
ton that is fished for here and
there" continued the speaker. I'm
order that our great metropolitan
journals may continue some of them,
to make their papers from day to day
like the Yankee made his razors to
sell. But 1 desire to say to the gem
that in the last analysis out of the
two great organizations the minority
from time to time putting the major
ity on it's good behavior. seeking to
become the majority. will come cor
rect legislation and correct appropria-
tions for the greatest good of the peo-
pie of the republic"