Evening star., 1926-11-13
OLD CHURCH SCENE:
FOR CANNON RITES
"UncIe Joe'' to Be Buried
Next Tuesday Afternoon.
Town MournS Its Loss.
BY the A ssociated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
DANVILLE, ILL.,, November 13.---In
an ivy-covered church, where his
wife planted the sprigs that in the
years have grown into massive
bower of foliage. will be held final
rites for Uncle Joe" Cannon, whose
eventful life Of 80 years ended in
peaceful sleep yesterday. Funeral
services will be held next Tuesday
afternoon. The hour of the funeral
was set for o'clock.
The body of the veteran statesman
will lie in state at the Cannon man.
sion on Sunday.
The Rev, T. N. Ewing, pastor of the
church, the st. James Methodist Epis-
copal, will officiate. Mrs. Cannon was
member OF this congregation, and
after his retirement from the congress
sional chamber Uncle joe" too, be-
came a Methodist. Mrs. Cannon took
great pride in her church work and
with an eye to the future as well as
the beautiful, she set out the tiny
sprouts that now entwine the edifice
with great reaching vines.
Flags at Half Staff.
The church stands directly across
the street from new edifice under
construction, for which Uncle Joe
turned the first shovel Of dirt a few
months ago.
Meanwhile Danville made tentative
plans to pay its last respects to it's
outstanding citizen. Throughout the
business and residential districts, flags
fiuttered at half staff today under a
dismal sky. In many downtown store
windows large photographs Of Mr..
Cannon occupied central positions.
All business and industry will cease
during the funeral hour.
Tributes to the dead statesman
poured in today from friends and for
mer foes, who recalled the vivid days
when Cannon ruled the national House
Of Representatives with an iron hand.
Coolidge Sends Sympathy.
1.-THE Nation has lost one of it's most
able, interesting and beloved men of
the last generation" President Cool
idge said in q message Of sympathy to
Miss Helen Cannon, daughter of the
former Speaker. He will always rank
as a great American. His great in
fiuence gave his country better Gov
ernment.'
While his political career dated back
to the days of the Great Emancipator,
Uncle Joe" had other traits in COM
mon with Lincoln. His features often
were said to be of the Lincoln type.
From ears to chin he wore a fringe
Of close-cropped beard, the upper lip
clean shaved.
Also there had been no man in pub
lie life, Lincoln excepted, around
whose life grew up such a lore Of
tales. Certainly, there has never been
q man SO lampOoned in cariCature and
cartoon.
But while Cannon's term of service
in Congress stretched over nearly a
half century and was the longest on
record, there was one man who called
him Kid" He is Gen. J. Warren
Keifer, 90, Of Springfield, Ohio, for.
mer Speaker Of the House, who served
with Uncle Joe for years in Congress.
Keifer Called Him "Kid."
II always called Joe the KID ex-
planned Gen. Keifer. You see, he
was 80 years old last May and will
be 81 years old on January 80. He
always enjoyed that little joke and
often in his letters he would sign him.
self just that way"
While Mr. Cannon first entered the
House of Representatives in 1873.
serving until his retirement in 1928,
except 1Or IOuT ycdIS WHICH, SoSCASN
his two defeats, the statesman's first
bid for public Office was in 1860. when,
at the age of "a. he ran unsuccessfully
for States attorney.
The last three years in Danville had
been ones of quiet and ever decreasing
activities among the scenes he knew
and loved At first he walked daily to
the Second National Bank. the insti-
tuition he helped found. but as the
weight Of years wore on, these trips
by foot were abandoned for automo-
bile rides until few weeks ago. when
he was confined indoors.
Several days ago his physicians saw
the end approaching. But before going
and when he knew he was going
he tried to cheer those about his bed
side.
Have courage" were his last
words. For many hours thereafter he
was inarticulate. and the last sum-
mons came when he was peacefully
sleeping.
AS the statesman lay in death. init
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