Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1882-11-11
POLITICAL HISTORY.
The Rise and Fall OF the Younger
Cameron.


Cameron.
The Story Of the Causes Which Led to the
Overthrow Of the Machine so Care
fully Adjusted by PennsyI-
Vania's Big Boss.
FACTS FOR POLITICIANS TO PONDER,
Special Dispatch 10 tie Register.
PHILADELPHIA, November l0.-Ex.Ssna.
tor Simon Cameron's political methods,
which made him for 50 many years the
most potential force in Pennsylvania poll
tics, were very different from those Of his
son, the present Senator. Don Cameron
has not yet been IN exercise of his inher-
tied leadership for the measure of q single
Senatorial term, and yet there has been
amply realized the prediction of those who
fOretold that his power would be short
lived, and that the political control which
his father so easily transmitted to him
would not even survive the old man.
Simon Cameron did not hesitate to
- IRzx SRsz 'sngyzSlF Votes
when it was neeessaryto thus accomplish
his ends; but he knew that the support
thus secured was expensive to keep, or LA
bic to be bought away from him by higher
bidder. He was not unwilling to bully the
rimid or punish the refractory when other
means failed to break down foundations
but he always preferred to build up his
own strength rather than to seek to crush
| out the enemy. No man believed more
| firmly in the maxim that every man had
his price than Cameron's enemy-not his
rival-in Pennsylvania politics, Thad.
Stevens. But Stevens scorn of smaller men
and biting sarcasm towards hts allies often
failed where the elder Cameron's policy of
concilliation succeeded. Cameron
Never ResOrted 90 Bullying or Buying
until the gentler methods had failed One
after another, young men of original power
in theState rose 10 prominence by their
avOwed determination to wage aggressive
warfare on CamerOniSm. One by one they
we're silenced or won to the support OF it.
/ The extension of financial aid or official
| favor, unexpected political influences ex-
erted when least looked for, pleasant per
sonal Courtesies, lattering reminders of
| association with their fathers, and q hun
| dred insinuating methods OF attracting the
| rising young men of the State, were the
! qualities and devices by which Simon
| Cameron appealed to and most frequently
| enlisted the most active and energetic ele.
Rents of the party in Pennsylvania, and
| persuaded them that the realization of
| their ambitions and Of their political for
| tunes lay in
Devotion to His Interests
and fealty to his leadership. 1t was Con-
! gresham Wm. d. Kelley, of Philadelphia,
| who once proclaimed that he wanted to
| leave no better heritage TO his children than
I that he had never enjoyed the favor Of
| Cameron, whose "buzZard- winged" fame
! blighted the whole Commonwealth; it was
this same Kelley who went to the White
/ House at the head of the Pennsylvania
| delegation to ask for Csmeron's appoint
ment as Minister 70 England. NJ. 5. Quay,
| now the most faithful henChman OF the
| Cameron clan, and by far its ablest coun-
| sellOr, was brought to Harrisburg and into
| State politics by Gov. Curtin, the most in
veterate of the anti-CamerOn Republicans.
| Gen. Beaver, the late candidate for Governor,
was looked upon ten years ago as the
Coming Anti Cameron Leader.
In Lancaster county, where there is the
| most intense rivalry between the two fac
tions, few years ago the opponents OF
Cameron waged the fiercest fight ever
known in local politics there for the cleo
tion OF p. J. ROebuck to the State Senate
against Cameron's interests. Before his
term expired he, too, was follower OF the
LOCbiel plaid.
In the chain gang of Legislators whom
Cameron marched from the Capitol to his
house, and from his home back to the Cap
itol, when be made his son heir to the SEN
atOrship, were many members sent to Har-
risburg trustfully by anti.CamerOn constit-
uencies. Wolfe himself, whose bitterness
made the Camerons vince, has again
and again been taken up into high
places in an atte mpt to prove to him the
Advantage Of Relaxing His OppOsi-
tiOn.
E.K. Martin, of Lancaster county, one
of the most intrepid of the kiCkerS, who
started his political career by the most ag'
Eressive assaults on the record OF Cameron.
has repeatedly been approached in like
N tanner Hartrauft'S entry into State pol
iucs was as an avowed anti-CamerOn man,
and he was taken up for Auditor-General
by Mcclure, Curtin, and Others in 1869,
chiefly because of his availability to beat
the veteran politician and Cameron camp
follOWer, Jack Hiestank, Of the Lancaster
Examiner. Before his term expired the
c. merons had so completely captured
Hartranft that they made him their candi-
dste fsr Governor in 1872, and fought the
msst desperate campaign for his election
that theN had ever experienced.
1t was in that year that Don Cameron
Came 10 the Front
as q leader of his party. The record OF
Hartranft was so bad and the bolt against
his electi on so formidable that the Re-
publican National Committee feared the
result of an October disaster in PennSyi-
yania, and refused to extend any aid un-
less Hartranft was withdrawn. This step
was seriously contemplated; but at party
council at Bedford Springs Don Cameron
infused courage into the timId ana dsned
the National Committee. Pennsylvania
Republicans, he said, could take care OF
Pennsylvania And they dld: carrying ~
by an immense majority, which virtually
! ended the Presidential struggle OF 1872.
Don Cameron,
Trained 90 the Commercial Habit,
! illustrated on q grand scale the effectlVe
use of money in politics. The heavy ne
publican OBJECTIONS of that year were Offset
! by Democrats hired all over the state TO
| vote for HGrtranft at s. head. Mr.; Cam,
eron's methods, introduced to such good
| purpose then, have been IN vogue ever
] Since Grant showed his appreciation OF
| the service they rendered by giving their
| exponent a Cabinet place. Hayes PrOhted
| by the same means, and even had his cam
paign pocket money from Cameron, but he
was less appreciarive. Garheld's eampaign,
| was, won by the lavish expenditure OF
! money, the collection Of which was snmu-
| lated by Simon Cameron and aided by John
| Cessna John Welsh, and Levi z. Morton
of Nav York.