Evening star., 1911-01-29
Fathers and Sons Hold
Places in the Senate

father, Henry Gassaway Davis. having
been the first. and his father, the late
Senator Stephen r. Elkins, whom he
succeeded. the second
James Donald Cameron. son of Simon
Cameron, who established a political
dynasty in Pennsylvania more than
generation ago, that at times has been
halted. but never overthrown, even to the
present day, became a prominent leader
in national politics in May, 1876, when
President Grant appointed him to fill a
vacancy in the cabinet. placing him
at the head of the War Department.
Until then. while he had been a
very important state leader for some
years, and had become largely the man
ager of his fathers political interests
in the state, he had not been known
or felt in the arena of national politics.
and his appointment to the cabinet was
attributed to the influence Of his father.
then in the Senate
The younger Cameron :" record as Sec
retary of War was chiefly notable for the
stand he took in the most public way to
declare that Hayes was elected President
over Tilden. and that the power of the
army would sustain the republicans i'm
the disputed states in the south i'm their
struggle to secure the electoral votes for
the republican candidate
1t was naturally assumed by Secretary
Cameron and his father also that Hayes.
as soon as he assumed office. would rec
ognlze his obligations to the Camerons
for the position they had taken regarding
his election. They were therefore very
much surprised as well as annoyed when
Hayes announced to a delegation from
PENNSYLVANIA, headed by Benjamin Har-
rls Brewster. who had called upon him
in the interest OF James Donald Cameron.
that lie would choose new Secretary OF
War.
The failure to have the younger Cam
eron continued in the cabinet suddenly
brought the elder Cameron to the imme-
date fulfillment of a purpose that he
had long had in view after he found him
SELF securely in the Senate, with the
power of his state behind him. He did
not conceal his desire to establish a
cameron dynasty. and have his son sue
ceed him in the Senate.
The elder Cameron had been elected to
the Senate four different times First by
a democratic belt, and fusion with the
wings in 1915. when he defeated Judge
Woodward: in 1857. when by the bolt OF
Lebo Maneer and Wagenseller, demo-
cratic representatives, and the support of
the republicans he was elected over For
ney; in 1861, when he was nominated by
the republicans over Curtin and elected
by the full party vote. and again in 1873.
when he was nominated and reelected
practically without a contest.
His first election was to fill an nm
expired term of four years. and his
second election ended in four wears Inv
his resignation to accept a position in
the Lincoln cabinet. The third election
gave him a full term, and at the end
of four years. after his fourth election
he resigned in 1877 to give place to his
son. The elder Cameron thus resigned
from the Senate when in the very
zenith of his power. and there is but
little doubt that he could have con-
tinued to serve as senator until his
death, twelve years later. 1t was his
settled purpose to retire at some time
in favor of his son, and the refusal of
President Hayes to continue the young.
er Cameron in the cabinet precipitated
the resignation Of the elder Cameron.
who desired to teach the new admin.
istration that the man he had rejected
for Secretary Of War had the power of
a great state behind him, and could
enter the Senate practically without q
struggle.
In the history of Pennsylvania poll
tics the Camerons undoubtedly made
the most marvellous record ever at
tained by any family. Besides the
long term of the father in the Senate,
aggregating eighteen years. the SON
was four times consecutiyely elected
to the Senate, and served an aggregate
period of twenty years.
The other instance in which a son
succeeded tire father in the United
=. ~r~st7 s.as that Of the Bayards