The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1911-03-03
With Expiration Of Sixty-First
Congress Cannon Will Re-
sumo Place on Floor
of the House
IS SATISFIED TO STEP OUT
With Exception Of Two Years Has
Served Continuously for Last
Thirty-eisht Years-Will Be
Leader of Minority.

washington, ID. c., March 3.-The
career of Joseph G. Cannon as Speaker
of the House of Representatives will
end at noon tomorrow, with the ex-
pration of the Sixty-frst Congress.
So far as public interest is concerned
the passing of "Uncle Joe" seems to
be just as important as the question of
an extra session. Among the members
of the House there are some who re-
gard themselves as veterans in the
public service who have known no
other presiding officer than Mr. Can
non SO it is scarcely to be wondered
at that many have been heard to re-
mark within the past few days, as the
end of the session drew near, that the
House will hardly look natural with
out Uncle Joe" in the Speakers chair.
Is Willing to Step Out.
At a monster reception and dinner
given in his honor in this city five
years ago Mr. Cannon confided to
some of his intimate friends that If he
should again be selected as Speaker
he then would be willing to retire and
let somebody else take charge. Since
that time he has been honored twice
with reelection to the Speakership,
so it is to be presumed that he rs
more than satisfied to step out.
When he finally relinquishes the
gavel tomorrow Mr. Cannon will have
broken the record in length of service
as presiding OFFICER, with the excep-.
ton of Henry Clay. who served nine
and half years in the chair. 10 Mr..
Cannon's eight years. No other Speak
er has served more than three terms
and most of them for but a term of
two..
Dean Of Al! Law Makers.
Mr.. Cannon has already broken the
record for length of service on the
floor He came into the House of Rep
resentatives March 4, 1873 and with
the expiration of the Sixty-first Con-
gress tomorrow he will have served
period of thirty eight years. with the
exception of two years, when he was
defeated for the Fifty second Con-
gress. The nearest approach to this
record is that of John H. Ketchum,
who served seventeen consecutive
terms as representative of the Eigh-
teenth district of New York.
Though he will be seventy-five years
old next May, Mr. Cannon is hale and
hearty and as full of fight as ever.
Those who know him best expect him
TO make things lively when he resumes
his place on the floor as one of the
leaders of the Republican minority In
the next Congress.
Is Aggressive in Debate.
Uncle Joe" in debate Is eG nest and
aggressive. He used to have he rep
utation of being a fighter on tie floor,
because he had to fight great many
bills that were for appropriations
which he regarded as unwise. In
those days he was called the Watch
Dog of the Treasury"
In debate the grizzled veteran from
Illinois has the mannerism of the from
tier lawyer of half a century ago. He
uses the plainest, simplest, and most
direct language to express his ideas
The homliest expressions are those ne
uses most, and he has n fund of home
ly SMILES and epigrams that point his
speeches to make them unique exam
pies of force, If not gems of thought
and expression.
Uncle Joe's' gestures, like his
speech. are more forceful than grace
full and when in debate he begins to
push up his sleeves every spectator
knows that he is ready to fight, and
will come as near IT In parliamentary
practice and debate as Is possible.