Frank J. Cannon

Frank Jenne Cannon, (January 25, 1859 - July 25, 1933) was the first United States Senator from Utah, who served from 1896-99. [U.S. Senate Website: Utah Senators [http://www.senate.gov/pagelayout/senators/one_item_and_teasers/utah.htm] ] Born in Salt Lake City, he was the eldest child of Sarah Jenne Cannon and George Q. Cannon. His father was an Apostle in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and later was a member of its First Presidency. After attending the school in Salt Lake City, he studied at University of Deseret, graduating at the age of 19. He would marry Martha Brown of Ogden in 1878. [Utah History Encyclopedia, "Frank Cannon" [http://www.media.utah.edu/UHE/c/CANNON,FRANK.html] ]

In 1891 he helped to organize the Utah Republican Party. [Utah History Encyclopedia, "Frank Cannon" [http://www.media.utah.edu/UHE/c/CANNON,FRANK.html] ] After a failed bid to become Delegate from the Territory of Utah, he succeeded and served from March 41895 to January 41896. Cannon was chosen in the latter year to serve as Senator by the Utah Legislature and served in the United States Senate, initially, as a member of the Republican Party; however, he later became a member of the Silver Republican Party [Official Senate Website: Utah Senators [http://www.senate.gov/pagelayout/senators/one_item_and_teasers/utah.htm] ] founded by his successor (and future employer at the "Salt Lake Tribune") Thomas J. Kearns. [Utah History Encyclopedia, "Frank Cannon" [http://www.media.utah.edu/UHE/c/CANNON,FRANK.html] ] Cannon affiliated with the Democratic Party in 1900 and served as its state chairman 1902-4. [Bibliographical Directory of the United States Congress [http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=C000118] ]

After failing to be re-elected to the U.S. Senate by the Utah legislature, in part due to opposition by the Mormon hierarchy,Fact|date=April 2007 Cannon spent then worked as the editor of several newspapers, including the "Salt Lake Tribune", [Utah History Encyclopedia, "Frank Cannon" [http://www.media.utah.edu/UHE/c/CANNON,FRANK.html] ] the "Ogden Herald" (Ogden, Utah) and established the "Ogden Standard".Fact|date=April 2007

Cannon later rejected Mormonism and wrote a book, with Harvey J. O'Higgins, called "Under the Prophet in Utah" exposing the rigidly hierarchical nature of the Mormon organization. The book denounced what the authors described as the "church" leadership's "absolutism" and "interference" in politics: " [Mormons] live under an absolutism. They have no more right of judgment than a dead body. Yet the diffusion of authority is so clever that nearly every man seems to share in its operation... and feels himself in some degree a master without observing that he is also a slave". [Excerpts from "Under the Prophet in Utah" [http://www.xmission.com/%7Ecountry/reason/cannon.htm] ]

During the last two decades of his life, he lectured against Mormonism and in support of "free silver" policies (as opposed to the Gold Standard). He died, at the age of 74, in Denver, in 1933. [Utah History Encyclopedia, "Frank Cannon" [http://www.media.utah.edu/UHE/c/CANNON,FRANK.html] ]

ee also

*United States Congress Delegates from Utah Territory

References

External links

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* [http://thedcl.org/heretics/mormon/cannonfj/under/under.html Under the Prophet in Utah, The National Menace of a Political Priestcraft] at the DCL.