The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-01-03
CLARK SPEAKSOF LONG SERVICE BY
 JOSEPH t. CANNON
Nitrate Plant May Get Appro- priation From Republicans When National Finances
 Are In Better Shape
By HUGH W. ROBERTS Washington Bureau The Age Herald
 800 Davidson Building

500 Davidson Building . Washington, January 2.-(Special)- < Hast week in Congress, while devoid of 4 important action, was full of color. One whole day in the House was consumed in eulogies to Uncle" Joe Cannon, the veteran member from Illinois who has served longer period in Congress than any other individual. The appropria- tions committee of the House produced 3 its sundry civil bill in which estimates of expenditures were reduced 50 per \ cent. Before the census committee of he House appeared a number of high brow" negroes, who aroused the indig- nation of southerners by declaring the situation below the Mason-Dixou line intolerable.
 In the Senate, the emergency tariff bill, said by its sponsors to have been prepared n the interest sof the farmers, was referred to the committee on fl- nance over the opposition of Senator Pat Harrison of Mississippi and oth irs who called upon the democrats not to stultify themselves by accepting gold brick at the hands of the high priests of protection.
 TWO FINE SPEECHES The Cannon celebration brought forth two really remarkable speeches, the enc by Champ Clark, himself veter9n, ano Uncle Joe. Mr. Clark was entertain ing, with an astounding display of sta tistical and.historical knowledge facts. and men who have distinguished them selves in Congress. His sentimental passages directed to MT. Cannon were moving in the highest sense of that term. As became the honoree, the speech of MT. Cannon was more or less facetious. He expressed his apprecia- tiony but indirectly let it be known that he did not think himself entitled to any unusual enconiums.
 q have attended so many of these wakes" said the distinguished octo> genarian, that it appears that I have realized the hope of those who would return to the world following the end of things"
 MT. Cannon was especially diverting when he whimsically declared that Il 6 longest years of his life were those spent at home as the result of two de- feats at the polls. At that, according to Mir. Clark, there is no republican in the Cannon district under SO odd years of age who has ever had the privilege of voting for any other republican than Mir. Cannon.
 ONE WAY OF REDUCING
 The action of the appropriations com- mittee in bringing out bill author izing the expenditure of a sum about half that requested is understood to have resulted from the intention of the republicans to make a showing in 'heir programme of economy. It is known
 by those on the inside" that the Sem ate will add to the sum total carried
 in the bill. and that very shortly there- after it will be necessary for the House committee to make other authorize Gions
 Chairman Goode, speaking of the ac> tion of the committee in emitting an
 item of $10,000,000 for the completion
 of the Wilson dam at Muscle Shoals, Ge- clared that whereas the project was
 very worthy, he thought that "it wo i'd
 go over. for a month or so." That was
 taken to mean that at time judged
 proper the republicans will act either
 through their own volition or becaIse
 of pressure brought to bear against
 them.
 The bill omitted an appropriation of
 $147.000,000 in the interest of the
 United States shipping board In as
 much as the board is charged by law
 with the development and maintena nee
 of shipping marine it is absolutely
 certain that at some time in the near
 future the appropriation, or some ap>
 propriation. in it's, behalf, will be au>
 thorized.
 THE COLORED UPLIFTERS
 The appearance of negroes befo .e the
 census committee was for the all aged purpose of securing legislation at the
 hands of Congress, which would give
 negroes the right indiscriminately to
 vote, or which would reduce the repre-
 sentation in Congress of those states
 which maintain requirements which
 must be met before voting is possible.
 The real purpose of the negro in ap> k bearing, it seemed, was to express scn-
 timents which they would not have
 dared express anywhere other than in
 a gathering. the majority of members
 of which were republicans. and more
 or less concerned with the negro vote.
 Their argument was directed against
 conditions in the south, and lurid sto-
 ries we're related of the Ku Klux K1an,
 of which the negroes are deathly afr lid
 despite. the fact that it has done 1oth-
 ing save show its red cross and its
 white robe. One of the most bold c1
 the educated" ethiopian uplifters ven.
 tured the assertion that the southernsrs
 were 1awless, which prompted Repre-
 sentative Larsen of Georgia violently
 to protest. and threaten to raise .i--'
 if certain condition prevailed.
 THE BLOW-OFF COMES
 The suggestion was made that the
 committee, surrounded by the neg-oe.
 who had brought their protests agains'