The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-09-04
PRESS RESPONDENTS
 WANT "UNCLE JOEo TO STAY

Washington, September 3.-(Spe-
 cial. .)-So unequivocal was the an-
 nouncement in Chicago of Represent
 ative Rosenberger of Illinois, that
 Joseph c. Cannon would retire from Congres at the conclusion of his pres-
 ent term, that the standing commit
 tee of press correspondents appointed
 delegation to visit the distinguished
 octogenarian for the purpose of dis suading him from his contemplated course.
 MT. Cannon was well pleased with
 the expressions of the delegation.
 And then with typical directness, he
 exclaimed:
 "Rodenberg spoke without author
 ity, providing he spoke at all. l
 don't believe he spoke. At any rate,
 the report, like that which had
 Mark Twain prematurely dead, is ex- aggerated. Some men die in public office and others are beat. He who
 retires is in a lonesome company.
 At any rate, 1 will speak for my self when determined to depart from my usual course"
 Does Not Want to Retire MT. Cannon does not want to re-
 tire. That is certain. His family, however, is under the impression tndL DStlcI CdIC Sodio OC sohSiA VI hinc at his private home. Some friends, under the same impression.
 have advised him to resign. But he
 has said nothing. And the chances are that he will again stand for cleo
 ton. and be elected.
 The novelty of Washington service has not worn off as far as MT. Can non is concerned. He has been in
 Congress. with the exception of two terms, since 1872. There is no reason. apparent to the average observer, why he should retire. He has no
 claim to the reason so many younger men offer, the necessity of amasSlnS
 fortune against old age. It can
 not be said that his age prevents eff
 fective work. For there is no man
 more influential in the House than MT. Cannon.
 Some new man could fill his seat in a physical sense. But no man in the United States could take his place in the affection of the people in of ficial and, private Washington. He Is an institution, and is daily hailed by hundreds whose names he cannot call. "Uncle Joe' Is old It is noticeabl however, that Uncle Joe" is an old man this year. He was not an old man last year.
 lie seems to have withered suddenly.
 His eye does not sparkle with the love of combat. He is not so aggres- sive He is milder, softer in manner. ! more benign. He does not carry | and this is a woeful augury !-nis ever present cigar at such cocky angle.
 Some say the change is due to the SharW00d of ono, I another octogenarian. Some attrip- ute it to the death of Champ Clark. | Whatever caused it, the change IS certain. But nothing has dimmed his | mind. It is as alert as ever, ana | no youngster in the House, however | gifted in the retort courteous ne might be, can hold his own with the nimble-witted gentleman from lli- | nois. He is a wonderful old man. this | last leaf on the tree. He goes 70 work on the street cars, and on street | cars smokes his cigar unmolesteo' He answers his mall and attends tne sessions of the House. He IS stiii I standpatter, reactionary, protectlon- list, czarist! But he speaks kindly or every man, even those who declare his paternoster that of the devil him. 1 self.
 Evenings he has dinner at the press club. He plays a game of doninoes., Then he disappears to return at mid night, sometimes softly swearing al the uncertainty of poker, and the Tn : 1 conveniences wrought by those who would reform the world by statute 1 He has no associate of his age.
 But rather than accept chairs offered l by younger men. he prefers to stand | It Is the spirit that has kept him 1 going throughout all these years
 which fast approach century.