The Washington times., 1923-03-04
UNCLE JOE ENDS.
Of As
YEARS IN HOUSE.
Grand Old Man Of Congress
Quits Seat After Brilliant
Career That Began in 1873
GOING BACK TO DANVILLE
Fondly Bids Adieu to Col.
leagues, Most of Whom Were
Boys When He Was Elected
BY THEODORE TILLER.
TN the BaltIInore snm.1

by ThEOUONE IlLLENe,
Gin the Baltimore sun.l
They're packing up for Danville.
The midnight train leaves soon
for Illinois.
The cedar chests and file cases
used in the yesteryear, the scrap
books with the newspaper stories
and cartoons Of other days, the
letters written in Lincoln's time,
published speeches Of many his
toric debate, routine correspond
ence that came in only last week.
all are starting toward the West
and the sunset.
"Uncle Joe" Cannon is going
back home.
The packers hustle about In his
| two little offices just off the cham.
Der OF the House Of Representatives.
wherein Uncle joe has served
longer than any other man. Be.
cause Of his years and unprece-
denied service. Mr.. Cannon for
some time has occupied rooms ad-
jacent to the chamber and not in
the House Office Building.
LONG PUBLIC SERVICE.
Joseph Quincy Cannon came to
the House fifty years ago. With
the exception Of two terms he has
been here since. Twice he was
overcome by Democratic landsIides,
but he came back two years later.
Today he quits voluntarily after
forty-six years OF actual service,
including eight years as Speaker.
Senator Justin Smith Morrill,. of
Vermont, who died "a quarter of a
century ago, nearest approached
Mr.. Cannon in length Of service.
Combining his time in House and
Senate, Senator Morrill, rounded
out forty-three years, nine months
and twenty-five days.
On December 90. 1920, Uncle
Joe" beat that record by one day
and the House held a great cele-
OTation. It is tragic fact that
only about two years later three of
the comparative veterans In service
who participated in the love feast,
and were mentioned in the speech
of Uncle Joe" that day, are now
gone. They are Champ Clark,
James r. Mann, of Illinois. and
John A. Moon, Of Tennessee.
THOSE WHO HAVE PASSED ON.
That the younger generation may
of the record breaking service of
Mr.. Cannon, let's trace the flight
Of time. paragraph by paragraph,
story in itself:
OF 371 Senators, Representatives
and Delegates who were in Congress
when Uncle Joe" came here q half
century ago only two are left-Mr.
Cannon and Gen. Isaac Sherwood. of
Ohio, the latter one year older than
the Illinois statesman.
General Sherwood was out Of the
House thirty-four years and then
returned; also he has been out the
past two years, but will be a mem
Der Of the next (Sixty-eighth) Con-
gress.
When Cannon came to Congress
James G. Blaine, the 'cPlumed
Knight" was Speaker of the House.
Garfield was a member Of the Ohio
delegation. On the floor were Hoar
of Massachusetts,. Frye and Hale Of
Maine, Alexander H. Stephens Of
Georgia, Sunset" Cox Of New York,
Ben Butler Of Massachusetts and
Roger @. Mills of Texas. 81
At the Senate end were Cameron,
pioneer political boss Of Pennsyl-
vania; Roscoe Conkling; Henry g.
Davis Of West Virginia, John J.
ingalls, Of Kansas the wrote "Oppor-
tunity'), Oliver p. Morton of In.
diana, John Sherman and Allen G.
Thurman of Ohio, Frelinghuysen
of New Jersey and Bayard Of Della
ware. whose descendants are the
Senators Frelinghuysen and Bayard
of today.
Eleven States have been admitted
to the Union since Joseph G. Cannon
took the oath Of office.
CHANGES OF TIME.
AS the late Speaker Champ
Clark said in one of his tributes
to Representatives Cannon:
when he was born at Guilford
Courthouse. North Carolina, in 1886,
there were no railroads, no teIe-
graphs or telephones, no sewing
machines, flying machines, repeat
ing rifles and a thousand other
things deemed necessary to our
modern civilization
"Uncle Joe" himself recofnts
that since that day his folks left
Guilford Courthouse and started
westward, saying "good-by civili-
zation," as they began their trek
to Illinois, he has seen come the
reaper anu the IlOW6T, the gang
plow and the whole evolution in
agriculture. the telegraph, tele-
phone and now the radio, the elec-
trio railroad. the submarine and the
airplane, the typewriter and the
modern printing press.
YEAR OF 1872"
In more whimsical vein was
Uncle Joe" on the day he ex-
ceeded Senator Morrill, in length
of service. Addressing the House,
every member having risen to his
feet cheering the old man from
Danville, he said concerning the
year Of his first election:
1.-THE year Of 1872 was a men,
orable one In many respects.
Vesuvius had violent eruption
that year and General Sherwood
and 1 were elected to the House.
There were other happenings-the
organization Of the German En-.
pire and the French Republic, the
emancipation OF slaves in Porto
Rico, the connection Of Australia
with the rest of the world by cable.
the great Boston fire and the Ge.
neva award of the Alabama claims.
But these concerned the world
at large while the election of my
friend and colleague, General Sher.
wood, was personal and / am glad
he Is here to share with me the
doubtful honor OF Elder Statesmen.
- g.