Arizona silver belt., 1905-03-09
FRANCIS J. HENEY'S RISE
Ills Debut In Politics In Arizona Told
 by Brewster Cameron

by Brewster Cameron
 Ina group of gentlemen in the New
 Willard last evening, says the Wash
 ing Post, was Mr. Brewster Comeron,
 at one time general agent of the De-
 partment of justice, who was telling
 of the stirring times in Arizona about
 the period when President Arthur
 threatened to put the territory under
 martial law. Mr. Cameron was telling
 of the notable men whom that era
 brought to the front, and mentioned
 Francis J. Heney, who has just ar
 gued the Oregon land fraud cases in
 the Under States Supreme Court.
 "Wheu quit government service
 to engage in the cattle business in
 Arizona one of my neighborS was Francis J. Heney, who had a small ranch and little bunch of cattle on the San Pedro river. In those days
 Heney took his meals off a tin plate, the usual menu bsing boiled beans, a sun-dried meat called jerkcy, and a glass of tepid water Now he has at tained national prominence through his prosecution of the Oregon cases, and yet doubt if he enjoys a meal at auy of the swell hostelries of the capi' tai more than he did this humble fare of the plains.
 ''Heney was then, as now, an ardent lover of outdoor sports, aud an expert horsemau, and good shot. Those were stormy days in the cattle busi' ness, and he contributed his share to its adventure during Geronimo's reign of terror. He embarked in the law, and, incidentally, into politics, being a feryent democrat. He was a mere youth then, but he became immedi. ately involved with his political as sociates in a desperate battle to con trol the democratic party of Arizona. An idealist was not in demand in those days, and the party managers ran the political road roller over Francis Heney in short order, and, as a warning to his obstreperous fol- lowers, the machine issued au official statement t1 ths effect that he was permanently Aattsned out, but the encouraging hope was held out to the budding young ssatesmtn that he might occupy the position Of high private in the rear ranks, provided he was very, very good.
 "Thereup1n H5ney hired the opera house, which was the largest hall in Tucson, the metropolis of the terri tory, and issued an electrifying invi- tation to all tlzens who were inter. ested in good government to c0ms and hear what he had to say. The meeting was regarded by his political enemies as huge joke. They attended en masse to make it farce and Honey an object of ridicule. But good citi- Zens also came tO see fair play, and tremendous throng literally packed l the opera house from the stage to the back door. The opening sentence Of his address was electrical. His whole speech was philippic. The audience gaSped with surprise as he produced | one piece Of conclusive evidence after | another of the fact that prominent | members of the community, distin. guished and honOred members of his | own political party, were public | grafters, whom he denounced by name as bOodlers with the laundering elo- quence of Junius. Those who came | in to guy him and make him an object of ridicule were struck speeches.. | That nights address put out of buSi- ness the professional boodler in Ari- zona, who had openly defied public sentiment up to that time. Shortly | Heney became the attorney general of the territory and success fully put into effect the reforms which he had advocated"