Martinsburg statesman. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1869-1906, 1906-04-13

culture are literally shaded with his
toric trees.
The Cameron elm stands 50 close
to the south entrance of the Capitol
that it nearly blocks the way, and
really has nullified the importance Of
that passage as means of ingress
and egress to and from the Capitol
But 1t is not likely that an ak will ever
be laid to this tree as long as It re-
tains vigor enough to put on green in
spring.
When the architects and builders
were constructing the marble terrace
to the Capitol this elm was found to
be in the way of the plans and the
work. The ak was whetted to chop 1t
down. But this proceeding was
stayed by Senator Don Cameron Of
Pennsylvania, who in the Senate
Chamber made an impassioned appeal
for the life of the tree.
the best speeches Of his career, eulo-
gized trees in general and the Cap
itol elm in particular, affsctionately re.
calling the length Of years which this
old elm had stood at the south end OF
the Capitol and the men famous in
American annals who had passed and
chatted beneath its branches. He
quoted much poetry that had been in.
spired by reverence for trees. and
closed with a splendid recitation OF
the familiar poem. "Woodman Spare
That Tree" -
Cameron Won the Day.
The matter took up considerable
space in the Congressional record, the
Committee on the Library, having the
Capitol improvements under its con.
troll, canvassed the question, and the
tree was allowed to stand, despite the
fact that 1t would block for oil the
days OF it's life one of the great marble
approaches to the Capitol.
A large motfnd of earth is heaped
around the roots of the big elm, and
this is kept carefully sodded that the
trees health may be conserved. Not
long ago it became necessary to saw
on large limb, and at the point OF
amputation, paint, cement and tin have
been applied that the tree may not sui.
fer from the surgery.
The savior OF this tree was . big
man in the counsels of the nation and
of the Republican party. Though gen
orally known simply as Don" Cam.
eron, his name was James Donald Cam.
| eron. He was the son OF Simon Cam
eron, Lincoln's secretary of War
when the war of 1861 broke out, and
who was a Senator from Pennsylvania
for four terms. He resigned in 1877
and was succeeded by his son, don"
who was born at Middletown. Pa,
May IA, 1888, and had never served in
any legislative body up to the time
Of his election to the Senate. but he
had had enough experience in worldly
AFFAIRS. having been prominent in
banking and railroad circles.
Don" Cameron was Con q short
time Secretary of War in Grants Cab
met; that changing Cabinet in which
so many famous men were called to
serve. In that Cabinet were Eliza B.
Washburn, Hamilton Fish. George S.
Boutwell,, VIM. A. Richardson, Benja.
min H. Bristow, Lot NJ. Morrill,, John
A. Rawlins. VIM. w. Belknap, AL.
phonzo Taft, Adolph e Borie, George
N. Robson. John A. ]. Creswell, James
w. Marshall. Marshall Jewell, James
NJ Tyner. e. lockwood Hoar, Amos T.
Akerman. George H. Williams. Ed.
ward Pierrpont, Jacob D. Cox. Colum.
bus Delano and Zachariah Chandler.
Don" Cameron was striking
figure in the National Republican con-
ventions which nominated Hayes and
Wheeler and Garfield and Arthur, and
he was thrice elected to the Senate.