El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-03-06
Has Longer Continuous Ser
vice Than Any Man in the
House; Only One Other
Speaker Ever Served 8
Years.


G. Cannon, retiring speaker Of the
house Of representatives, with longer
record for continuous service than any
other man In history, and who as
speaker served longer than any other
man save one, retires from his position
Of ruler OF the house with the knowl-
edge that no other speaker was ever
given such a demonstration as was his
lot on Saturday last in the closing
hours of the 61st congress and the last
| hours of his dictatorship.
Just before adjournment, speaker
Cannon laid down the gavel and called
Mr.. Underwood. of Alabama, who will
| head the ways and means committee
| of the new house, to take the chair.
! Mr.. Cannon took a seat among his col
leagues. Then speaker to. be, Clark Of
| fered a resolution paying a high per
| sonal tribute to the retiring speaker,
| and acting speaker Underwood put the
resolution before the house, which
| adopted it unanimously.
In his speech Mr.. Clark characterized
speaker Cannon as "a great historical
character"
CIark's High Tribute.
Mr.. Clark said in part:
1T does not make particle of diff
ference whether we like him or dis
like him, whether We endorse what he
has done in whole or in part or not at
1 all He is a man with whom the his
torian will deal in days to come and
he will accupy a large space
Human nature is a very curious and
unreliable institution Under stress Of
circumstances and aggravation good
men say what in good humor they
would never dream of saying other
wise. Courteous men when angry will
act discourteousfy. Men who are ordin-
l VIII in TANNER will "a m
just.
And while we do not endorse every
thing that speaker Cannon has done
or everything that speaker Cannon has
said. and, while. perhaps, he and all
the rest Of US would need TO ask that
some of our verbal sins at least had
] been forgiven. I offer this resolution
without retracting any Of the princi-
pies that we have advocated in this
] congress or any other, without apollo
giving to any mortal man for the talk
of the minority in this house during
this congress; and in according to the
others the same honesty and patriotism
that we claim for ourselves, 1 believe
this resolution is just and ought to
pass.
7 am certain when the heat of the
occasion is passed. when we come 20
reflect on It, that we all wish for the
retiring speaker peace, plenty, pros
perity, happiness and length of days"
The resolution provided for a COM
mittee of two to notify Mr.. Cannon
of the adoption of the resolution and
to escort him back to the rostrum.
Clark Escorts Cannon.
Acting speaker Underwood appoint
ed Mr. Clark and Mr.. Mann, of Illi-
nois
Down the main isle, watched by a
great crowd that overflowed the gal
Ieries and even spread into all the
available space between the railing
and the rear Of the members seats
of the floor, while members of both
parties cheered and handkerchiefs
waved, Mr. Cannon with Mr.. Cpark
holding his arm and Mr.. Mann close
beside, marched up to the rostrum.
There Mr.. Clark introduced to the
house Our old familiar friend, the
Hon. Joseph G. Cannon. known from
the Atlantic to the Pacific as Uncle
joe"
HE is the second man in the his
| tory of the government 70 serve as
speaker of the house as long as eight
years." said Mr.. Clark, and he is the
only man in the history of the repub-
lie that ever served in the house Sc
years In consecutive service he leads
them all In length Of service he is
exceeded by Henry Clay alone.
Cannon Says Majority Must Rule.
Speaker Cannon replying recalled
when he first marched down the aisle
to become speaker, when the present
senator John Sharp Williams, Of Miss
sissippi introduced him.
From that time to this" said Mr..
Cannon, Il have never forgotten that
my duty to the house was to obey its
will and enforce its rules and preside
with courtesy and impartiality."
Suggesting that all legislative bodies
were controlled by a majority he
prophesied woe to that man or to that
minority which refused to abide by
and conform to the will Of the ma
jority.
Il leave this place not with regret.
I have performed the duties of this
office according to my best judgment
under the rules of the house. 1 do
not leave the chair with malice in my
heart toward any colleague or toward
any member with whom 1 have served
MY friends, the speaker to be. the
gentleman from Missouri, Mr.. Clark,
believes this is my departure as speak
or Of the house. I agree with him.
At the age of almost rs, in the course
Of nature, 1 could not hope to occupy
this great place again and would not
If I could; but 1 am so fond of my
friend from Missouri, the speaker to
be, that I mean to serve under his
genIie rule as MEMBER OF the mouse
and to look on"
What Congress Did.
Out of the smoke Of the closing bat
tie in congress emerge these results
of larger interest.
Provision of $4,000, GOO for the for
LITIGATION of the Panama canal.
Provision for two new battleships
Rehabilitation of the judicial code
regarded as most important for the
amelioration of the laws delays.
Creation of forest preserves in the
southern Appalachian and White noun
tains.
Providing for the CONSTRUCTION of
embassy and legislation buildings
abroad
Requiring the inspection of locomo-
tive boilers.
Creating Robert z. Peary rear adj
miral on the retired list Of the navy
and formally rendering thanks of con-
gress to him.
Creating a commission of five sem
ators and five representatives to in
vestigate conditions in Alaska
Things Left Undone.
Failure of the Canadian reciprocity