The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1921-05-26
THE NATIONAL CAPITAL.
By J. + Jones.

President Harding answers in the
know: Are you a Mason In fact
he frequently works at it until the
wee sma' hours" That puts him in
exact time with Washington throngs
League of Masonic Clubs, and it gave
him another opportunity to strike upon
the chords of "~fraternalism" in an APP
peal to his countrymen to get back to
a pre-war basis. Having crossed the
hot sands" with the Noble of the Mys-
tic Shrine, the nations chief executive
reminded these focks of befezzed and
jovial visitors that there was a real
purpose in life before them; and he
directed their attention seriously to
the problems confronting the country.
There are plenty of people in this
country who are willing to help the
president" he said, but most of them
are DESTROYS of helping in their own
way" Great organizations of men, he
reminded them, are capable of acting
together in the accomplishment Of
great purposes. The Masons scratched
their heads, became serious for a mo-
ment and promised themselves "to
think about it," and then they planned
trips to the capitol to see the wheels
of congress go round; or they hunted
up the time schedules Of Mount Yer
non trains and boats in order that they
might lay an invisible sprig Of acacia
al the tomb of their early worshipful
master, George Washington. The ma
tional capital has many great onven
tons, but this one will likely rank
with the foremost of the year.
The house of representatives. adj
journed it's business the other day in
order that its members might share
in celebrating the eighty-ffth birthday
of Uncle Joe" CANNON. Need it be
said that such a procedure would not
have been possible except for the fact
hat the men in congress with Mr..
Cannon love him. And the old states
man is evidence that with years a
richer life begins, the spirit mellows;
ripe g gives one to violins, wine
and good fellows"
Uncle Joe" Cannon is one Of the
finest studies alive in human inter
est" because he radiates perpetual
sunshine and good cheer. Age has
mellowed him, but he has not soured.
Of course Tennyson was right when
he said that 'old men must die, or the
world would grow mouldy"; neverthe-
less it is a fine thing to have a ma
tional character like Mr.. Cannon who
proves his philosophy 365 days in the
year that men are just as young as
they feel"
OF course Uncle Joe" was not al
ways popular. In the Roosevelt days
he was Speaker Cannon" and Gear
Cannon and mothers used to scare
their naughty children by telling them
about ~hobgoblins and Cannon and his
vile cigar. Cannon was almost hated,
just as Roosevelt was later on. Then
the people began to like Roosevelt
and he died, and they loved him a
great deal more. Cannon beat his old
enemy by living, and being loved
while he remained in the flesh. All of
which leads up to another act in the
drama being continually pulled on
life's stage, and it will be interesting
to note what another dozen years will
do to Woodrow Wilson and Warren G.
Harding. two gentlemen regarded as
the leading citizens" of Washington.
There are 52.332 ~postmasters in the
country. of whom 39,433 are in the
fourth class. and these are protected
by the civil service. There are also
700 postmasters in ofices Of the frst
class: 2.617 Of the second class. and
1852 Of the third class. President