Evening star., 1926-11-12
UNCLE jOE' Cannon
DEAD At 90; LONG
CAR OF THE HOUSE
Retired to illinois Home in
Failing Health Many
Months Ago.
BORN IN NORTH CAROLINA:
BEGAN CAREER IN 1873
Fiery Partisanship Did Not Alien
ate Associates-Became Reli-
gious in Last Years.

DANVILLE, III. November r.
Uncle Joe Cannon died here today at
the age of 30.
In the rambling brick mansion he
had built for his bride many years
ago, life slowly ebbed away from the
old statesman whose iron handed
tactics in Congress won him the title
of Car of the House back in the days
before his fall in 1910
The same dominant spirit with
which Uncle Joe" ruled the House
of Representatives so many years was
summoned by him in his fight against
old age. He continued his daily walk
downtown until physicians ordered
him to replace it with an automobile
ride. and in recent weeks his fading
mind and body had not permitted him
to leave his home.
Last May, however, he attended
birthday party given by Danville XII
wanians, honoring his Goth anniver
sary, and portioned the big cake
among Boy Scouts while photogra-
piers clicked their cameras, and in
June he broke the ground for St.
James Methodist Church, which he
Joined after his retirement from Con-
gresS and where he sat in the pew
his late wife occupied so many years.
He was unable to appear at corner
stone laying ceremonies in August.
Daughter Called Home.
cold contracted in July gave him
much worry, and 1t was then that he
took TO motoring instead of walking.
The first indication that his condition
was grave was given when his daugh-
ter Helen was summoned home from
Europe hurriedly in September.
IL 1A it,,rf 20 in,,c ~
appear publicly in the weeks pre-
ceding his death. but his greatest re-
gret was oCCa stoned by his inability
to speak at a schoolhouse near An
napolis. Ind. where he made his first
public speech as a schoolboy.
For the first time since he voted for
Lincoln in 1860, Cannon failed to cast
his ballot a week ago last Tuesday.
He would have gone to the polls. he
said. hut a long period of rainy. wealth
er prevented him from registering.
Sleep Merges With Death.
On the stroke of IL at noon today,
Uncle Joe" peacefully breathed his
last. He simply slept away.
Since about a m. it had been ap-
parent that the end was near. DR.. c.
F.. Wilkinson. his personal physician.
was called al that hour because Mr..
Cannon was having difficulty in swal-
lowing. This condition was relieved
temporarily,
Later in the morning the physician
spent a half hour at Uncle Joe s.
bedside. At that time he was sleep
ing peacefully. Between 10 and II
o'clock he became restless. then set
tied again into calm sleep. He had
been in a state of coma for about 10
hours before the end.
Death was due. DR.. Wilkinson said.
to myocardiai degeneration. or weak
ening of the heart muscles.
The courage which Mr.. Cannon al
WAYS displayed marked his last days.
Recently he told his daughters and
his nurse to have courage and not
give up. He did not fear death and
rarely spoke Of il except incidentally,
DR.. Wilkinson said.
Funeral arra ngements are ava iting
receipt Of word from grandchildren
in California and Washington. D. G.
Time scarcely had touched with -.
Yer the thin locks Of Joseph GurneN
Cannon years ago, ere the Nation
had rechristened him Uncle ,Ioe'
And under that title, confirmed by
millions who never saw him vet knew
every line of his worn face and every
whimsical trait Of his intense person
ality Uncle Joe" came AZ last TO end
his career as eldest statesman of the
Nation: the man Of longest service in
the Congress: the object Of honors
among his Collea CUES that took no
thought Of party or political differ
ences.
In the musty files Of the Congress
Kional Record there stands written a
moving tale Of this mans great serv-
Ice II begins back In 1873 when first
hs came out Of Illinois to take his seat
IN the House, even than a picturesque
fre-eating political gladiator To whom
the uproar OF the debate and tho tense
moments in committee were the breath
of life The yellowed ra geS show day.
bN-day how the hot blood of youth
irove him into every affray, his tongue
la ashing out at his opponents. his
quick mind formulating a caH the
instant expedentS that are the weap-
ons Of political combat.
Month by month he climbed toward
leadership, growing more knowing as
each session brought its new con
ficts: hardening With time into the
forceful, relentless champion Of his
party. until that day when the gavel
was placed in his hands and he mount
ed the Speakers rostrum as master
Of the House. to rule alone for four
wears as few men before him had
ruled that body,
Great Rise and Great Fall.
Uncle Joe" was then veteran and
in the nevdaY Of his power. Around
him had gathered a lore Of tales, some
true, some false. but all picturesque
and through the news columns and
cartoons his personality had been
STAMPED indelhly on the minds Of men
all over the land
Yet great as his place and power
had grown. great. too. was his fall
when the House in 1910. reyolted
against his czar-like rule and strip
ned him of his power through com
bination of insurgents in his own
marty with the Democratic minority.
Even then. however. when the battle
IN the House reached a pitch OF eN-
citement that swept every other hap
pening in the world into the back.
ground for all AmeriCarl Uncle
Joe" fighting with grim courage TO
the last. was TO know something OF
the feeling men would have for him
later. The triumphant rebels OF the
House refused 20 take the last step
and oust him from the speakership.
content with stripping the post of lis
power. they voted TO hold him still in
place.
Under the form of organization in
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