The Washington herald., 1914-09-26
CannOnism Of the Democracy.

"When was child spoke as a child" should
be the reply of the Democrats in the House to the
charge that they have adopted Cannonism as their
method of ruling the House. That would be not
only truthful but in keeping with party grown to
responsibility in the legislation and appropriation of
more than SIooooooooo year to run the Federal
government The cry of Cannonsm was nursery
bogey when it was before the country, and it disposed
of itself when It came TO issue March 10 1911.
There was faction in the Republican party in
the House. Ii was not large, but it was enough IN
going. over to the Democrats to make majority on
that side 1t is not important what was the cause
of that Republican faction which willing to COM
bine with the Democrats to defeat the Speaker The
only question is to the real purpose of the Demo
Gratis in joining the cry against Cannonism Many OF
them then admitted that it simply political
strategy and the present organization of the House
has demonstrated that there was no other purpose
behind the alliance than the embarrassment Of the
then party in power.
1t might be frankly admitted in words as it is in
deeds by Speaker Clark Mr. Underwood, and other
Democrees in the House that what they said against
Cannonism from 1907 to 1912 political bunoombe,
excused on the theory that is fair to take advantage
of faction in the party in power. Clark and Under
wood and other Democrats appealed to the country
to give them power that they might destroy Cannon
ism and give to the House freedom of debate. They
received the commission to destroy the dragon and
lberate the people Then they followed in the same
old way of responsible government by using special
rules to defeat fbuster and allow the majority to
legislate The difference between Republican and
Democratic administration of the House is what
Uncle Joe might call mere leather and prunella- The
results are the same only perhaps, the Republicans
say,
The special rule has become the order rather than
the exception. and the Committee on Rules exercises
more control over the House than before in the
history of Congress The large Democratic majority
perhaps makes this necessary The leaders have
agreed with the President on policy, and too much
debate would show antagonisms within the party.
The Republicans ought to permit the Democrats to
forget their past utterances and pledges when they
spoke as children and were responsible Speaker
Clark, Mr.. Underwood, Mr. Fitzgerald. and even
Claude Kitchn and Bob Henry are willing to forget
what they said about Cannonism in the days of Re-
publican administration Secretary Bryan is willing
to forget that Cannonism written into his plat
form in 1905 and President Wilson that it found an
embarrassing echo in the platform Of 1912 They
were all the wangs of the nursery against the rule
of authority and have been forgotten since the Demo-
cratic party came into responsibility
Cannonism was a nursery bogey when it most
prominent. and it compelled the House to perform
a stunt like that OF the man in the nursery rhyme
who was so wondrous wise that he jumped into
bramble bush and scratched out both his eyes, but
when he found his eyes out, with all his might
and MAN, he jumped into another bush and scratched
them in again. That what the House of Rep
resentatves did when it got excited Cannonism
in March, 1911, and adopted the Norris resolution,
creating a Committee on Rules. With the aid
of the insurgents the Democrats adopted the Eeso-
luton and downed Cannonsm to the music of Demo-
cratic cheers Then Mr. Burleson offered his reso-
luton to elect a Speaker and with the aid of
the same insurgents the Republicans restored Cannon
ism to the Speakers chair by bigger majority than
il had in the organization of the House. That nursery
performance in 1911. showed the exact OF
the reform Of the House rules. Then why revive
Cannonism. when those who created the bogey ad-
NIT that they are ashamed of it. The Republicans
have enough indictments against the Democrats with
out twittng them about initiating the who jump
ed into the bramble bush twice putting odt his eyes
with Jump and putting them back with the other.
Both parties are of mans estate and they leave
nursery performances those political children who
have yet reached the age and condition of political