The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-12-10

spent five years there in missionary
work before returning to Salt Lake
City.
Prior to his going upon the missile
TO Hawaii. MIR. Cannon held no ofiicla.
position in the Mormon church. Bu'
his successful work among the island
ers gave him an established footini
and from that time he steadily rose IL
prominence until now he is second IL
authority in the church.
HAWAIIAN "REMINISCENCES.
When seen yesterday many recollec-
ton of his first visit to Hawaii were |
still fresh in his mind.
There were ten of US sent out on the |
first missionary expedition" said Mr..
Cannon. II was the youngster OF the
party. We had been sent out TO estao-
lish missions among the whites. but
when we reached the Islands we found
so few Americans and Europeans there
that nearly all the missionaries were
discouraged. and / believe all Of them
would have returned az once had no
urged the carrying ON OF the WORK
lmonc sSs natives. As it was, ] could
persuade only four to remain with me.
The remainder returned To America.
Nv found the natives a quiet. peace
1ble people. They lived in great sim
,licity i'm their little houses. subsistins
lmost entirely on vegetable food. \
loot called taro in some parts and kalo
in others was their most important ar
, ticle OF diet. / received the gift o.
| speaking in their language and was the
I first white man to preach to them in
c their native tongue. They accepted our
: teachings eagerly. which, by the way
:, did not include polygamy, and had not
] other denominations followed. | be
e llieve We should soon have had the en-
= tire Island converted TO the Mormon
e faith"
= Mr.. Cannon said that the appoint
s ment as delegate TO the coming cele-
X bration had come suddenly and he
! could not outline the character OF tbs
ceremonies. He said he was not now
Il familiar with the details of the recent
e work among the natives. He was in
n clined to think that the condition
y among the islanders was better wheI
= he visited them in the early sos than !
le Is today.
h The Hawaiians." explained Mr.. can
D. non. are like the Indians, rapid
r. decreasing race. Contact with civiliza
" and the sailors and Adventures VIII
be have drifted out there in the last fift
r years have lowered the standard g
lis morality and spread devastating dis
TT eases among the natives"
President Cannon was one Of the fir.
tx emigrants to Salt Lake. going there
n the first expedition headed by Brighal
pr. Young. At constitutional conventio
Is - ~. ba. va
Ig elected a delegate to present the cot
IT. stitution and memorial to Congress Il
OF the admission OF Utah Territory in
nd the United States. He was a delega
al from Utah to the Forty-fifth and Fo
iii lty-sixth Congresses. and in the Fort
le- seventh Congress his election was d
as clared illegal because Of his religio
IS. beliefs He is now a yery distinguish
nd looking gentleman. short of statui
ng with almost silvery white hair. smoo
Gle upper lip and close-cropped beard. I
ro- San Francisco Call. in an intervi'
oil with Mr.. Cannon. makes an odd m
take by referring To Congressm
Joseph q. Cannon of Illinois. the pre-
l. ent Watchdog of the Treasury,
the son OF the Mormon leader. "Jc
Irs Cannon IL almost as old as the Norm
rn- lchurchman himself His son Is {
lSenator Frank Cannon Of Utah. one
md the annexation friends Of Hawaii.
40 President Cannon's reason for co
ing to Honolulu is twOfold. that Of
an ing one of the first presidency and
being one ofnthe band Of ten cid
who first brought the Mormon COS
an TO Hawaii President Cannon was
young man at that time and mantle
owe ed that dautless perseverance and
termination which has placed
will among the greatest forces in
and church. Nearly all his early comp
ma ions in the Islands became discoura
and and returned but he remained here
nro- FIVE years during which time he ira
oint lated the Book OF Mormon into
and native language. His industry was
ter once recognized by the authorities
and the church and he grew rapidly
,ical prominence after returning home.
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