The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1916-05-12
FORMER SPEAKER CANNON
HON0RED ON 8Oth BIRTHDAY

Washington, May 5.-Party lines
disappeared and old scores were for
gotten by the House today when dur
ing the first hour of its regular ses-
sion, it joined in paying tribute to
Representative Cannon Of Illinois.
Never before in the history Of the
House had an hour of the working
session been set aside to homer liv-
ing member.
One of the original Progressives,
Representative Cooper of Wisconsin,
presided during the greater part of
the ceremonies. OF the original re-
VOTERS against the so-called cannon
rule" for years he fought the then
speaker. But today he presided as a
friend. Their old wounds long since
have been healed and it no longer is
an unusual sight to see them sitting
together in the Republican cloak room
engaged in a friendly chat.
Speaker Clark, in humorous and
friendly speech, termed Cannon one of
the "top-notcher class of mental pug
lists" He also wrote into the rec
ord for posterity the statement that
once, during debate he saw Cannon
perform the unusual feat of describ-
ing complete circle on one heel"
"Write a Book" Clark Suggests
"Mr. Speaker Cannon owes it to
himself and his countrymen to write
book of "reminiscences" Speaker
Clark said. "Job's vengeful declara-
ton oh that mine adversary had
written a book" to the contrary not
withstanding. Evidently the man of
use did not have in his minds eye
Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow
Wilson when he gave voice to that
far-reaching and malicious desire"
Still carrying himself as straight
as an Indian and as ruddy-cheeked
as school grill, Cannon marched down
the center aisles of the House and de-
livered an address of appreciation
filled with "reminiscences of other days.
Eserought back the shadows of Blaine,
Randall, Ben Butler, George F. Hoar,
Sunset Cox, "Pig Iron" Kelly and a
score of other contemporary of Can
non to the halls where once they serv-
ed. Cannon was quick to observe the
nonpartisan character of the occasion
and his opening words were in appre-
citation of it.
"This is a sample of the partisan
ship of the House," he said. 81 can
say with the Psalmist, The lines have
fallen unto me into pleasant places,
and as | look into the faces of friends
of both sides of the House, | am more
inclined to accept the plain evidence
of fact than the popular and pistur-
esque fiction which divides this body
into partisan groups on all questions,
shuts out personal relations and the
cooperation of Representative re-
CARELESS of party, to work out in leg
islation the greatest good to the great
est number"
Courage Highly Praised
Representative Rodenberg of Hi
nois referred to the courage of Can
non in the stormy days when he was
Speaker
at is but human to err" he said
"and Uncle Joe has at all times been
intensely human, but no man living
or dead ever saw him lower his colors
or hoist the flag of surrender"
Cannon is closing his twentieth
term in Congress. He came here dur.
ing the Forty-third Congress, anC
since that time he has been defeated
twice, once in 1892 and again in 1912
Only one man who served in the For
ty-third Congress, Gen. Isaac Sher-
wood of Ohio, is in the present Con-
gress. His term of service has beer
much shorter than that of Cannon
however.
Despite his years Cannon. still takes
an active part in debate and smokes
as many cigars as ever.