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in the House and was Speaker during 6 of those years. In an address he delivered February 27, 1882, he stated:

There is no test of a man's ability in any department of public life more severe than service in the House of Representatives; there is no place where so little deference is paid to reputation previously acquired or to eminence won outside; no place where so little consideration is shown for the feelings or the failures of beginners. What a man gains in the House he gains by the sheer force of his own character, and if he loses and falls back he must expect no mercy, and will receive no sympathy. It is a field in which the survival of the strongest is the recognized rule and where no pretense can deceive and no glamour can mislead. The real man is discovered, his worth is impartially weighed, his rank is irreversibly decreed.

History will record CLARENCE CANNON as one of the great men of our time. And, certainly, he gained his greatness "by the sheer force of his own character." His character and personality have not only influenced this House and each of its Members in the years gone by, but will be a continuing influence for many, many years to come.

Remarks by Representative Mills
Of Arkansas

Mr. Speaker, this is indeed a sad occasion. When I received word that our esteemed and admired colleague of many years' service had suddenly passed away, I reflected upon those monumental contributions which he has made in the public interest over these many years.

Mr. Speaker, our departed colleague, the Honorable CLARENCE CANNON, will be evaluated by the historians of the future as one of the towering oaks in the long history of the House of Representatives. For some 20 years CLARENCE CANNON served as the chairman of one of the most crucial and powerful committees in the Congress of the United States. In carrying out his responsibilities to his constituents and to the people of this Nation, he shouldered burdens of a heavy nature and through his patriotism, his outstanding intellect, and his high devotion to duty, he served the people of this country well and good. The chairman of the Appropriations Committee of the House of Representatives has a peculiar and special responsibility, not only because of the effect on the economy of the enormous sums of money handled by that committee for the operation of the Government, but also because of the responsibilties which devolve upon that committee and its subcommittees in the actual programing of public policy for the Nation in all the fields of its very broad jurisdiction.

CLARENCE CANNON had been a Member of the House of Representatives for a long time before the vast majority of us came to the Congress. His talents were manifold. His name had over the years become almost legend among legislators. Indeed, the stack of books within which we find codified the precedents and the rulings of the Speaker, the Parliamentarian, and the Chair in the House of Representatives bear his name. "Cannon's Precedents" is known

throughout the legal world as a reference work on the operation of the House of Representatives.

This is a sad day for all of us. The Nation has lost a great and devoted public servant. His constituency has lost a valued and conscientious representative. We have all lost a warm and close personal friend.

My deepest sympathies are extended to Mrs. Cannon and their two daughters.

Remarks by Representative Arends

Of Illinois

Mr. Speaker, there are no words to express the deep loss I personally feel with the passing of CLARENCE CANNON. We all feel a sorrow that is overwhelming.

There is little that I can add to what has been said about this kindly, scholarly gentleman from Missouri who has served with distinction in the House for 41 years. Indeed, there is nothing any of us can say that would add to his towering stature as a man of character, ability, and accomplishments. His contribution to the House of Representatives will stand forever as a beacon to guide and encourage us, and all who come after us, through any legislative crisis that may beset us. TO CLARENCE CANNON, more than to any other man, we are indebted for the great body of parliamentary law upon which this great deliberative body operates. It is this body of lawthe work of the keen mind and willing hand of our beloved colleague that insures all of us, whatever our political faith, that this House is, and forever will be, the voice of the American people, wherever they reside and whatever their wishes and wants.

As chairman of the Committee on Appropriations, CLARENCE served as chief custodian of the Nation's purse. And in this capacity he was ever watchful of the hard-earned dollars the people deposited in the U.S. Treasury. In recent years he repeatedly warned against reckless spending and budgetary devices that only result in self-deception. His ominous words as to our precarious fiscal situation and the need for fiscal responsibility fill many pages of the Record.

CLARENCE CANNON was a Democrat. He was a good Democrat. He was loyal to his party, and he served his party well. To this many on the other side of the aisle have testified. From this side let it be said that he placed country above any political consideration when there came in issue a matter

of principle with him. He was a man of conviction born of many years of study and experience. And he had the courage of his convictions, ready to express them without fear and without favor. Such a man all men, friend and foe in the political arena, admire and respect.

The works and deeds of CLARENCE CANNON are a lasting monument to him. While he is no longer with us, he will live for all time.

I feel this loss deeply, Mr. Speaker.

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