Joseph Harry Cunningham, the resident illustrator of the Washington Herald, made this drawing inspired by the opening of the 60th Congress. The disembodied hand labelled “Republican Majority” holds a straight flush—the highest possible hand in a poker game when one standard pack of cards is used. The 60th Congress marked well-known poker enthusiast Joe Cannon’s third term as Speaker of the House. The winning set of cards refers to the exceptional level of control Cannon wielded. He also chaired the Rules Committee, effectively controlling the House’s legislative operations, from committee assignments and chairmanships to what bills came to the floor for debate as well as who was permitted to speak. On opening day of the 60th Congress, both Democrats and Republicans registered complaints on the House Floor that the proposed rules gave the Speaker too much power, a harbinger of the rebellion against Cannon that began in earnest in 1910.
