Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1922-05-16
BELIEVED GOOD
LAUGH BETTER
THAN ORATORY
Uncle joe Cannon Always
Strove to Make Opponent
Look Ridiculous.

WASHINGTON, May 1e-Probably no
man who ever served in American Con-
gress was more feared in debate than
Uncle Joe' Cannon. Few ever got the
best Of him.
Cannon, although an exceptionally
forceful speaker and brilliant In present.
ing a logical argument, preferred gener-
ally to batter down opponents on the
floor by heaping them with ridicule
The best argument In the world Is no
good to the other fellow 4 you can get
the laugh on him, Cannon believed, and
the theory worked out for him hundreds
Of times.
A good example Of how Uncle joe
could turn the tables on an adversary in
debate Is shown In the following story,
youched for by the Congressional Rec
ord.
When Theodore Roosevelt became
President the first time, he had such a
large family that he needed the entire
White House, but part Of the upstairs
was being used as the executive offices.
Roosevelt appealed to Congress and got
authority to build the present executive
offices, adjoining the White House on
the west.
The President got crowd of high sal
aried New York architects on the job
gress had authorized or anticipated.
1t was up to Uncle Joe" Cannon, as
chairman Of the House Appropriations
Committee, to get the authority for the
additional expenditure, so he brought In
4 deficiency bill. The money had al
ready been spent without authority, and
Cannon faced a sweet battle.
At that time, it seems, Republicans
and Democrats alike In the House were
ready to rap 1T. R." whenever they got
chance, SO they prepared to slaughter
Cannon and his bill and teach the e1-
travagant Roosevelt a lesson.
Uncle Joe brought his bill on the floor
and the fireworks started He sat meekly
and patiently through two hours Of lam
basting. Finally, Representative John
w. Gaines of Tennessee, the wit" of
the Democratic side. arose to deal Can
mons bill the death blow.
He introduced a resolution demanding
an investigation into the wherea bouts of
historical old sideboard which, 1t ap-
peared, was missing at the White House.
THAT sideboard," Gaines told the
House. dramatically, was presented to
Lucy Webb Hayes (wife Of President
Hayes by the W. c. T. e. when she
had the courage to forbid the use of
wines at the White House. But where
is that sideboard today? II the chair
man (Mr. Cannon) wishes to know, I'll
tell him where 1t Is. That sideboard
is now in a saloon on Pennsylvania
avenue"
Gaines had made a deep impression
ON the House and 1t looked bad for
Uncle joe"
However, he was equal to the occa-
sion. Getting up leisurely. hitching his
trousers and rolling up his coat sleeves
in mock seriousness, Cannon remarked
dryly that 1t was quite proper that
Congress should zealously safeguard all
the ancient White House furniture" and
added:
History tells MS that. century ago,
good Abigail Adams wife Of John Adams)
was won't to do her washing and hang
It In the east room of the White House
10 dry. Mr.. Speaker, where Is that
clothesline today?"
The House howled with glee, Gaines
and the opposition were silenced and the
deficiency bill went through with only
few votes against 1t.