Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-01-24

| THE MUCH-ABCSED DON CAMER0N-HIS BLUNDER
| WITH THE NEWSPAPER MEN-THE GOOD POINTS
ABOUT HlM-HE ATTENDS TO HIS DUTIES. Is
| GENEROUS. AND STICKS BY his FRIENDS
| SENATOR WADE HAMPTON AND HIS EXPLOITS
| AS FIsHERaAN-HOw HE CAUGHT DUCK
| WITH FLY-HOoK.
senator Don Cameron is the ''best abused"
| man in public life since the enforced retirement
| OF Gen. Butler The newspapers make him
| target for their shafts of rdcule and criticism,
| his own party organs even making frequent at
| tacks upon him. In the Senate he is a general
favorite. and those who know him best are his
warmest friends. the testimony of those who
know the man intimately is worth anything,
there never was abuse less deserved or more
unjust How far little taser pas of the Sena-
tors soon after he entered upon public lite in
Washington may have influenced the course of
newspapers and newspaper writer's towards him
must be left to conjecture. But it may have
started the tide Of criticism which has been
flowing on with increased force since. Ona most
disagreeable New Year day. as far as the
weather could render it So a party of newspaper
correspondents decided to take Senator Came
rOn's residence in. in their round of calls They
were men of note in their calling, and their
| social status was such to make them vel
come visitors at the houses of the best
| dence of Senator Cameron in a body late in
the afternoon. The Senator observed them
almost as soon as they entered, and no doubt
| with the purpose of paying them special atten-
ton, he Immediately left the party with whom
! he was cOnyerSing and approached the Quartette
| of Journalists After shaking each one cordially
| by the hand he remarked: You boys must find
| ii hard work gathering items on day like this
/ He had taken it for granted that the scribes
| were pursuing their calling: but it was terrible
n a rnf bn
! social standing OF the gentlemen. 1t was not
| an Intentional thrust nor after all, was it an
| unnatural mistake. as the Senator no doubt
| knew that even the festivities of ushering in a
new year do not interrupt the publication of
| daily papers.
| Senator Cameron has been written down as
| man lacking the ability to perform the duties of
! his position. and this is as unjust as untrue. as
| are most OF the hard things said about him.
/ He is man of decided ability but he is not
| gifted with the faculty OF displaying it. Sena-
| tor Don Cameron enjoys the possession OF a
| mind trained by a thorough collegiate educa-
| ton. and though he does not shine in rhetOri-
| cal contests in the Senate. his intellectual
| requirements are none the less valuable to his
| constituents. In the quiet of his library or
committee room he can write or dictate as
/ readily as any of his compeers speech which
| the best of them would not feel mortified at see
! ing printed as their own. but Mr.. Cameron
lacks all the elements of the orator. In the first
| place he seems to be totally wanting in that
| egotlsm OF opinion which aspires man to de-
| liver his own utteraDces with confidence that
| they cannot be cOntrOverted. Then. too the
Senator's embarrassment is. perhaps increased
| by the knowledge that his effort will be vsi-
| ted with tire severest criticism. He is too
dtstrustful OF himself. by no means
sign of want of ability. though it is a weak
ness in public man. With the exception Oft
orat0rlca phase of his duty, there is not Sem
ator who is more diligent and untring in his
public work than Mr.. Cameron. He does not
neglect the smallest details where the interests
OF his constituents are involved. The work he
performs Is OF character that does not make
much show to the world, but that those he rep
reSents appreciate it, is evidenced by his re-
election. Socially Senator Cameron is a genial
companion and true friend
SOME INSTANCES OF HIS GENEROSITY
He gives freely of his wealth to the cause of
charity, but invariably with the stipulation that
nothing shall be said about mis- liberality. He
shuns nOtOriety, even that which would herald
forth his good deeds. He is now educating
with all the care and expense that could be
bestowed upon son of his own. the son of an
old college chum, whose fortune was lost and
whose health was broken IN the cause of the
southern confederacy. After the war Senator
Cameron learned that another old col
lege friend of his was left destitute
| in Virginia. lie went down to visit
him. He found his friend in restitution. and
Z
The church was rebuilt at Senator Camerons
expense and check for an amount sufficient
to surround his old friend with the comforts of
life was left with the pastor. Another old and
valued friend who was left stranded ,pecuniarily
by the fortunes, or rather misfortunes of war
was invited to the Senator's country residence
and there comfortably provided tor until way
FOR him to make his own living was found and
that way was found by the Senator himself who
succeeded in procuring a consulate for the
friend of his youth. Some gears since resi-
dent of Harrisburg. Pa, and an intimate friend
OF Senator Cameron, advised him that the
Catholic bishop wanted to make an appoint
ment to see him with regard to the purchase of
some ground owned by the Senator for church
purposes. 'All right" said the Senator Il will
be glad to see tile bishop at any time" After a
moment he added: But, hold ont The bishop
is a high digntary of the church. and think it
would bemOre becoming for me to call On him."
The visit was arranged, and the Senator was
Informed that tract of ground belonging to
him and situated in Steelvlie suburb of Har-
risburg, was wanted. The bishops object
was to erect a chapel I'm that suburb
for the convenience OF his parishoners. residing
there The market value of the lot was So 900.
but as it was wanted Tor church purposes Sena-
tor Cameron agreed to let it so for 81 600. The
terms were that the price should be paid in three
equal annual instruments. When the first note
was prepared and offered to the Senator he re-
turned it, saying: Accept that as my donation
towards the chapel" He did precisely the same
thing with eacn of the two succeeding notes
thus presenting the church with the property
He took that method of making the donation
because he did not care to have his generosity
advertised The gentleman who related this
incident of Mr. Cameron's lberality is promi-
nent democrat, though a warm friend OF the
CamerOns He said: People wonder at Don
CamerOn's hold npon the people Of his state
They are surprised that when his election is at
stake the state rolls up an enormous majority
for him. But it is not surprising to those &C
quainted with the personal history OF the man. |
tie is continually doing favors for people in his
quiet way. He never wants anything said about
it, and his kindness is bestowed upon democrats
as we'll as republicans. II he is your friend he
will defy party or anything else to serve YOU
Look at his vote to seat Senator Butler Ali the
political pressure possible was brought to bear
upon him in that case, but Butler was his friend
and he stuck to him. He never forgets prom
Use, either His word is his bond, and he never
fails to keep it,
SENATOR HAMPTON AS AN ANGLER
Senator Wade Hampton is noted as one Of the
most expert anglers in this country. He is also
an excellent shot, and delights in healthful. out
door sports generally. The loss of his leg about
six years ago prevented him from taking any
part in field sports for sometime. But now he
gets about on his cork leg with limp that is
scarcely perceptible. At first the Senator found
| 1t very difficult TO manage the artificial leg He
would occasionally fall back upon his crutches
| but urged by his colleague, Senator Butler who
| had succeeded in making an artificial leg do