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Remarks by Representative Rhodes

Of Pennsylvania

Mr. Speaker, I join with my colleagues in the House of Representatives in paying tribute to our late colleague, the Honorable CLARENCE CANNON, of Missouri.

CLARENCE CANNON's career in Government has spanned over 50 years. Our country and its representative institutions will long feel his impact as a great parliamentarian, as a Member of the House for over 40 years, and as chairman of the House Appropriations Committee.

His eulogy can be spoken simply; he was an honorable man, a man of integrity and great ability, and he has served his country well.

My deepest sympathy goes to Mrs. Cannon, their daughters, and other members of his family.

Remarks by Representative Matthews

Of Florida

Mr. Speaker, we were all saddened with the recent passing of the great chairman of our House Committee on Appropriations, the Honorable CLARENCE CANNON.

Critics of the congressional committee system would do well to ponder the outstanding performance of the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives. I know of no man who could have served more diligently or effectively, more objectively or more patriotically, as chairman of this committee than the Honorable CLARENCE CANNON of Missouri, who was one of the most distinguished products of the seniority system of our committee procedure. I should like to point out further that we are most fortunate to have succeeding the great CLARENCE CANNON, the gentleman from Texas, the Honorable George H. Mahon. I should like also to observe that I know of no other system which we could devise that would now place as chairman of our House Committee on Appropriations a more distinguished, consecrated, and able patriot than the gentleman from Texas [Mr. Mahon].

I realize that we must in no way detract from the unique contribution of the Honorable CLARENCE CANNON in paying our eulogy to this great American, but I believe that one of the most effective tributes that could be paid to him would be again to emphasize how effectively the House Committee on Appropriations operated under Mr. CANNON'S leadership. I pay tribute to this gentleman from Missouri because of his effective and consecrated work as chairman of a powerful House committee.

I did not have the pleasure of knowing the Honorable CLARENCE CANNON in the warm personal relationship that was enjoyed by so many of his colleagues. I do however, remember with deep appreciation the tremendous service he

rendered his Nation, the courtly attitude he always expressed in dealing with his colleagues, and I, too, shall miss him.

The gentleman from Missouri, the Honorable CLARENCE CANNON, expressed to me more than any other man in the House the “Character of the Happy Warrior” so beautifully expressed by William Wordsworth when he said:

Who, if he rise to station of command
Rises by open means, and there will stand

On honorable terms, or else retire,
And in himself possess his own desire;

Who comprehends his trust, and to the same

Keeps faithful with a singleness of aim;

And therefore does not stoop, nor lie in wait

For wealth or honors, or for worldly state,

Whom they must follow; on whose head must fall,

Like showers of manna, if they come at all.

I express to Mr. Cannon's widow and to the people of Missouri, my profound sympathy because of the passing of this illustrious and noble man.

Remarks by Representative Kelly

Of New York

Mr. Speaker, humbly, I join my colleagues in paying tribute to one of our former colleagues, the late CLARENCE CANNON. There is no doubt of the "nitch" in which historians will place Mr. CANNON. He is truly one of the great. His record as a Representative from the State of Missouri, his record as chairman of the Committee on Appropriations, his record as a parliamentarian, his record as an author-of "Cannon's Procedures," "Cannon's Precedents," "Procedure in the House of Representatives," "A Synopsis of the Procedure of the House," "National Convention Parliamentarian Manual"-constitute an enormous contribution to history for one man.

I am proud to have served with him and I am proud to have been one of his admirers. He was a kindly man, he was a devoted family man. At this time, I extend to his devoted wife and his family my sympathy on his death. He will be missed by them and he will be missed by his colleagues.

Remarks by Representative Staggers
Of West Virginia

Mr. Speaker:

Men of perverse opinion do not know

The excellence of what is in their hands

Until someone dash it from them.

Sophocles.

It takes a long time to bring excellence to maturity.

Publilius Syrus.

Experience is an arch to build upon.

Henry Adams.

And long experience made him sage.
John Gay.

These are a few of the thoughts that come to mind when we contemplate the remarkable record of Congressman CLARENCE CANNON. The fate of this Republic has always rested in the hands of strong men who have it in their power to do well or ill. How fortunate we are that so many have chosen to serve the public interest with devotion and fortitude. Their careers have meant to them the establishment of justice and freedom and opportunity, instead of the grasp of personal power and privilege.

Mr. CANNON gave a lifetime—a long and arduous lifetime— to the development of a single arm of this Nation's Government. Early in his youth he chose a definite field in which he might work out his destiny, and he labored in it until the end. We congratulate his native State, Missouri, on its wisdom in placing his ability and selflessness at the disposal of Congress through a full half century of the most farreaching change the world has ever witnessed. We congratulate this House on having profited from his wise counsel and his unfailing courage in doing what was necessary to be done in order to insure progress and stability. We shall miss him—

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