Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1889-06-27
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LAleuAsTER, PA, June ~, 1859.
Simon Camcrcn.s Career.

f SIMON Cameron Is dead In the fuliness
20 years and prosperity, leaving the
lssson Of long public life for the obser-
svation Of the world. He has left many
\ sff1ends; and the sharpness of the enmity
which he abundantly excited during his
pushing public career has been mellowed
by the many years of his retirement.
Z OF the dead we are told TO speak nothing
but good but this injunction does not
fairly apply concerning the man who has
earned such distinction in life rs to make
his death a matter of national note and
y call for comment upon his life by the
public press. Since it is necessary for
us to speak of Simon Cameron's career
We can only speak of it as we see 1t.
] And we see that il is the life of very
successful man that has at last gone
out. He attained high position and
large wealth and enjoyed very
many more than the average years
Allotted to man, amid the luxuries and
comforts secured by wealth and the
pleasures which social disposition
and an abundance of friends brought 10
his door. He made a business of politics,
and II was peculiarly adapted to his
talents. He had deep knowledge Of
them. Throughout his career he main
tanned the repute of loyalty to his
friends, whom he favored at any cost to
the other fellows. This was the strong
foundation on which he built, as n mat.
ter of policy, not of honesty ; FOR honesty
was not his virtue. In fact, he had no
scruples i'm seeking his ends and this
may or may not have been cause Of
his success. He would have had
sweeter reputation If he had been hon
ester In his methods, but he may
not have gained as many fleshpots
or perchance he may have won more
enduring ones. He never made the
venture; so we cannot Judge whether
honesty would in the end have been his
better policy, as il is declared to be of
men generally.
And IL il because of Simon Cameron's
success, regardless Of methods, his
political honors, his long life, his many
friends, his wealth, and his possession
0f most of the things that are supposed
TO make life lovely--that his career, ana
the many like careers in our country,
threaten to demoralze the rising genera
tions
Simon Cameron was not great In the
possession Of any shining quality. He
was not an orator nor writer nor had he
great executive capacity. He was great
only as q manipulation Of men. With
out money and without education, he
sprang from hard life of poverty into
the arena of the world with n ravenous
appetite and no restraining principle, to
wrest from il all that he could reach.
Naturally from such beginning he
glided into the sinuous methods which
his nature supplied; and Of whose sue
cess he presents as shining an example
~ our country affords, amid the many
that have risen to do them homage.
We can hardly fail to own that to the
many the success of Simon Cameron
seems enviable, won however il was !;
and how then can we expect the lessons
Of honesty taught the youth to bear their
good fruit in the man? Simon Cameron's
career simply says "get there. He
undoubtedly reached n high position in
the world and as clearly reached IL
regardless of the morality of the
methods. He was satisfied with his
success, and had no trouble of conscience
10 disturb the serenity of his latter
years, nor ills of body to give il pain.
1t Is true that his name will not be
illustrious in history ; but he had none
Of the great qualities that make
famous records. He has done moth
lug for his country. Not deed
of gfeatAess stands to his credit
despite his 0ppartaaity in the cabinet
and the Senate.
He did all for himself and his friends,
tOwhom he was n mighty purveyor. He
was successful but not noble. His career
would tempt the greedy but not the
hOnorably ambitious. The successful
ambition that history records amid per-
fume, is that of the man who aims high
and does great deeds for the world The
pOt-hunter has none Of its fragrance.