Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-02-19
Dy ). Frederick E..ary.

i, [Spccial to Tho Times Dlspatch.1
WASHINGTON. Feb lS.--"Cncle
zoo" Cannon. ono of the most pic.
a.turcsauc Hgurcs in American public
IRE, Is about TO retire, 80 he says
', after forty-slS years OF service ~ n
inembcr OF tho House from Illinois.
i-rThis announcement which by the
way has distressed Washington OIL
Gals ns has nothing In many days.
mas been tho occasion for a fresh
routcropplnE OF Cannon stories.
:. Uncle Joe" says that many
story has been pinned on him. lie
told somc o! them and others. out OF
1. Joe Milcr's joke or gathered up
beneath the chestnut tree. have been
wished" on him, Htory-tellcrs. car
toonist and caricaturists have felt
privileged to take liberties with Mr..
Cannon. There Is even n cigar named
After him.
One of the bcRt stories involving
'fhis veteran legislator developed dur
Ing tho great fight TO dcthrone him
M Speaker. dozen years ago. At
that time he was being cxecratcd by
1.-The Insurgents and the plous news
papers all over tho land. Cannonism
and Czarism were supposed TO he
sEynonymous. Nothing was too wick
cd to impute to the old war horse
md no namo was too bad to lay on
him.
cHo uHy during the last year or his
.spcakerahip, and while the campaign
against him was most furious. two
elderly women from back home" APP
{ pcnred at tho entrance TO a public
gallery OF the House and sought adj
mission. It was just at noon when
the House had convened and the
chaplain OF the House was deliver
ing his daily Invocation. The door
keeper kept tho two women just out
glide the gallery until tho chaplain
could conclude.
Tho visitors. however. could see
tho grim old speaker standing at hts
place with his head bowed. They
could hear the words OF tho chaplain.
hut could not scc him. Turning to
her COMPANION one Of tho women
burst forth:
Look, There's old Joe Cannon.
,1nd him a-praying! The old hypo-
crit!"
Many yarn about Joseph g. Can
non concerns the great American in
door sport--draw poker. Mr.. Cannon
r-hRs always liked his friendly game.
and. though wealthy he has never
zone In for high stakes. ~ that
however. tho ante and the limit. they
say, have been enough TO make II
jntsrestinG.
Recall that debate In the House
when three knights OF the green
.cioth"-Cannon. Representative Nick
Longworth and Representative Jack
Garner. OF Illinois, Ohio and Texas.
respectively. pretended they did not
know how many cards were in n
poker deck.
- The House had thfore Il bill from
the ways and Means Committee
which proposed tax on playing
cards.
II would like to know" innocently
4 IA
tee means by tho term playing
CARDS"
THE gentleman from Ohio. Mr..
Ennsworth. cnu give a more Intelli-
gent answer than can" said Repre-
sentative Ciaud. Kitchin. OF North
Carolina. who had the bill in charge.
II am curious about IT," continued
.c"Uncle Joe" "My recollection is that
:, when I was a child. many, many
years ago, they played game called
authors which was played with cards.
Would that tax those cards?"
This is n ffty-two- card deck that
wa are taxing" explained Represent
--ative Jack Garner.
II HRine from the way tho gem
--.tlnman speaks he Is an expert" SOL
.-emniy replied SIR. Cannon. turning
-tI the Texas member OF the Ways
-~of ffty-two cards-doeF that mean
zone or two jokcrs. as 4 have some
syherc heard the term?"
.~N"Fifty-two cards and one joker, ]
sam informed" said the willy Texan.
= rs there ever more than one
,rjokcr?" asked Mr.. Cannon.
~ 81 understand that depends upon
whether you play what they call
,.sdeuces Wild observed Nick Long
eaiworth. However, | have heard that
~Noeuces wild is rather dangerous
s7nd silly game"
irk Mr.
.cthe gentleman from Ohio and the
gentleman from Texas ought TO he
ALLOWED to sing in concert. 1T sounds
Ito me-"
- And there the discussion ended
with poker players in the visitors
:, gallery wondering why members OF
70 -n@Ip@.