Editing Joseph Gurney Cannon (section)

== Early House career ==
[[Image:Joseph Gurney Cannon - Brady-Handy.jpg|thumb|left|upright|Cannon as a younger congressman {{circa|1875}}–1880]]In 1872, Cannon ran for the U.S. House as an anti-reform candidate supportive of President Ulysses S. Grant. He later recalled it as "a reform year, the beginning of a decade of 'reform' which shook up the virtues as well as the vices of the people. Nothing was right and nobody was safe from the reformers." Despite this, Cannon was elected to represent Illinois's 14th district, which included nearby [[Danville, Illinois|Danville]], in the [[43rd United States Congress|43rd Congress]].{{Sfn|Mooney|1964|pp=90–96}}

Initially, Cannon focused on purely local issues. He secured an appointment to the Committee on Post Offices and Post Roads, from which he promoted a bill to provide that postage on newspapers and magazines should be prepaid by publishers, rather than by the subscribers after arrival. Despite opposition from the publishing industry, the measure passed both houses of Congress and became law. His maiden speech in the House was a defense of this bill and the free mailing of seed. Upon a remark by [[William Walter Phelps]] that Cannon "must have oats in his pocket," the freshman Representative exclaimed, "Yes! I have oats in my pocket and hayseed in my hair, and the Western people generally are affected the same way. And we expect that the seed, being good, will yield a good crop."{{Sfn|Mooney|1964|pp=90–96}} The incident gained Cannon an instant national reputation as an advocate for farmers, though he would frequently bemoan that the press treated him as a caricature, rather than giving serious consideration to his legislative proposals.{{Sfn|Mooney|1964|pp=90–96}}

In 1889, Cannon stood as a candidate for Speaker of the House, but finished a poor third behind [[Thomas Brackett Reed]] and [[William McKinley]].{{Sfn|Mooney|1964|pp=90–96}} Instead, Cannon was named (alongside Reed and McKinley) to the powerful Committee on Rules. As his career progressed, Cannon had gained a reputation for partisan loyalty which was made evident in the 51st Congress. For example, he led opposition within the Republican Party to the [[Lodge Bill|Lodge Federal Elections Bill]], but after the party caucus approved the bill by one vote, Cannon aided Speaker Reed in passing the bill on an expedited process by a party-line vote.{{Sfn|Mooney|1964|pp=90–96}} Likewise, when Reed introduced [[Thomas Brackett Reed#Rules reform|dramatic reforms to the House Rules]], Cannon vigorously pressed the issue both [[United States congressional committee|in committee]] and in the whole House.{{Sfn|Mooney|1964|pp=90–96}} As a consequence of his efforts, Cannon was among the many House Republicans unseated in the [[1890 United States House of Representatives elections|1890 elections]].

Cannon was out of office for only one term; he was elected again in 1892. After Reed's abrupt retirement in 1899, Cannon stood again for the Speakership but was defeated by [[David B. Henderson]] of Iowa. Cannon finally became Speaker in 1903, at the start of the [[58th United States Congress|58th Congress]].{{Sfn|Mooney|1964|pp=90–96}} From 1895 until he became Speaker, Cannon chaired the powerful [[United States House Committee on Appropriations|Appropriations Committee]].