The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1944-09-07
Bishop Cannon

Endowed with a brilliant mind and moral
courage well above par, Bishop James Cannon
Jr., who died yesterday at Chicago hospital
in his eightieth year, was long the center of
political and ecclesiastical storms which often
neared hurricane velocity.
During the ten years, 192S-19SS, in the latter
of which he retired as a bishop of the Methodist
Church south, Mr.. Cannon was the subject
of bitter attacks and even a congressional in
quiry.
It was in the former year that he became
a national figure through his efforts to defeat
Alfred E. Smith, democratic presidential noni-
nee After the election he was assailed from
within and without the church.
Even during the campaign, he was accused
of opposing Smith because the latter was a
Roman Catholic Senator Carter Glass of Vir-
GINA called Bishop Cannon 'the Methodist
pope The appellation was kept alive in the
ensuing national election and the Virginia
gubernatorial election
The bishop met charge with countercharge.
He contended his long fight on liquor was the
real basis for his opposition to Smith
Bad health and attacks of .,neuritis
which led to his use Of crutches did not lessen
the fervor OF his replies. He singled out
especially John j. Raskob, chairman Of the
democratic national committee, reterating
that Raskob and Tammany Hall were attempt
ing to make the democratic party a hand
miden OF the liquor interests.
Bishop Cannon's personal record was un-
der scrutiny. The fact that he had brought
stocks through a New York brokerage house
which later was bankrupt, became known His
foes charged him with gambling"
The cry, raised during the campaign, that
he was putting the church into politics con-
tinued. An increasing interest became evident
in the disposition OF the $65, 300 he received
from E. c. Jameson, New York capitalist, to
use against Smith in virginia in 1925
Bishop Cannon was called before general
conference of his church in Dallas in May,
1880, to answer accusations centering about
his political activity and stock market deal
lngs. He was exonerated after he had faced
the conference and with tears in his eyes
confessed he made mistake in his stock mark
ket venture and promised not to do it again.
But there was no rest for him. Returning to
Washington he was called before the senate
lobby committee and questioned about
the money he spent in Virginia. He defied the
committee. The questioning continued. His
reply was to hobble from the room. The COM
mittee talked of citing him for contempt but
nothing came of it.
The next month July, 193O-found him in
London where he married his former sec, e.
tary, Mrs. Helen Hawley McCailum. Resent
ment at news articles about this and other
personal matters eliminated in $5,000OoO
libel suit against william Randolph Hearst.
the publisher, that autumn
When the suit was filed, Bishop Cannon was
busy preparing his defense against new ac
cusations by four ministers of his church The
trial was held in February, 1881, and the result
was another acquittal
he was not yet through with inquiries
Inc senate campaign funds committee had
been looking into the Virginia campaign. Bis
mop Cannon's report of expenditures seeming
ly accounted for only $4,000 of the sos 300 sent
him by Jameson.
The churchman challenged the authority Of
the committee and the constitutionality of the
federal corrupt practices act under which i
was proceeding.
hearing, brief and nconclusive, was helc
IN May, 1881 Bishop Cannon reclined in ar
arm chair and nodded approval as Miss Ada
Burroughs, his secretary in 1928, refused t,
answer questions. Informing Miss Burroughs
mat she might be cited for contempt, the com
mittee adjourned ~~-'.-si- Q
AFTER his retirement he devoted much of hi
Time to the work of the Anti-Saloon League
and various peace movements.