New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1921-02-25

commemorate today securely establishes Joseph
q. Cannon in the place of Father of all the
American Congresses" When he took his seat
at the beginning of the Forty-third congress, the
great empire of the West was still the frontier
of our civilization. That vast and powerful see
tion, now So potent In The councils Of the nation,
was then without votes, excepting a narrow fringe
of population on the shores of the Pacific ocean.
The sovereign states of Arizona, Colorado, North
Dakota, South Dakota, Idaho, Montana, New Mex
leo, Utah, Washington and Wyoming were with
out votes and were represented here by delegates.
What a wonderful galaxy of brilliant men were
here when he came to congress! James G. Blaine,
the "I'luned Knight" of American statesmen, was
speaker of the house. James \. Garfield was Il
member of the Ohio delegation and was giving
evidences of those talents of leadership which
subsequently called him to the presidency. Julius
{. Burrows, of Michigan James Il. Beck, of Ken
lucky; William =. Frye and Eugene Hale, of
Maine; Joseph II. Hawley, of Connecticut; George
+. Hoar, of Massachusetts; Roger Q. Mills, of
Texas; and stephen H.. Elkins, of the territory of
New Mexico, were elected members of the same
house and were subsequently called to the other
end of the capitol. But there were, in that same
congress, men who rounded out their congression-
al cnreers in this body and whose names are equal
~ familiar to the American people.
Among them might he mentioned Benjamin +.
Butler of Massachusetts; Richard T.. Bland. of
Missouri; "Sunsct' Cox. OF New York William
:. Holman, of Indiana John 4. Kasson, of Iowa
William X. Morrison. of Illinois; Samuel ]. Rand
all. of Pennsylvania Alexander II. Stephens. of
Georgia.
At the other end Of the capitol might be mem
toned Senators Allison, of Iowa Bayard, of Della
ware; Cameron. of Pennsylvania Carpenter. Of
Wisconsin Chandler, Of Michigan: Roscoe Conk-
ling. of New York; Henry g.. Davis. of West Nir-
ginia Edmunds. of Vermont; Frcllnghuysen of
New Jersey; Hannibal lIamlin, of Maine; John
J. Ingalls,, of Kansas; John 4. Logan, of Illinois;
Justin ). Morrill,, of Vermont: Oliver l.. Morton,
of Indiana Carl Schurz, of Missouri; John Sher-
man and Allen g. Thurman, of Ohio; William
Window, of Minnesota.
Of the Bal senator's, representatives and dele
gates who were recorded in that notable gathering
all but two have passed from the stage Of public
life, but a merciful Providence has left us Speaker
Cannon and General Sherwood in order that we
might know that In those days there were giants
upon the earth.
1t has been given to no other man in all our
history to be 50 intimately connected with SO
many historic characters.
Mr.. Cannon has served under 10 speakers of
this house. in the following order; James q.
Blaine. Michael e. Kerr, Samuel J. Randall, J..
Warren Keifer. John c.. Carlisle, Thomas Il. Reed,
Charles L. Crisp. David Il. Henderson. Champ
Clark and Frederick II. Gillett. while he himself
occupied that exalted position for a period Of
eight years. He has also served under 10 presl-
dents, as follows: Grant. Hayes. Garfield. Arthur,
Cleveland. Harrison. Mckinley. Roosevelt, Taft,
and Wilson. and in a few weeks Harding will be
added to the list.
The FOrty-third congress. in which Mr.. Cannon be-
gan his service. will be memorable because Of the
passage Of the act providing for the resumption
Of specie payments following the Civil war. The
civil rights bill. the amnesty bill and much similar
legislation Of a reconstructive nature, made neces-
sary by that unhappy event. need not be referred
TO. The great granger movement finally resulted,
in 1857. in the enactment of the Interstate com
merce law.
The numerous legislative battles growing out of