The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-06-16
The Ranger CouIdn't Write

Chairman Sturges once sent man up into the northern part Of the territory 10 bring down man who had been ar rested. The officer was one of the ia nous Rangers a little band of about 20 picked men commanded by Captain Rldeing, whose standing orders were: If a man gets away from you, don't come around here and trouble me with explanations-ius write out your res ignation and send fl in"
 The officer got his prisoner and was almost within the town lines when two of the prisoners pals jumped out from the bush and covered the officer with their guns. They got him" all right, and were just proceeding to release the prisoner when the officers horse began to buck and finally threw him off. The bad men grew interested in the tussle with the beast and lowered their guns. In a flash the officer covered" all three and brought all three into town.
 That was good work, Frank" re- mark ed the chairman to the officer, aft e the prisoners had been locked up.
 Well Bill" explained Frank, simply, ''you know what the captains orders are-and I can't write very we'll" He was in earnest about it." com mented Mir Sturges, telling the story to some friends "He meant no bravado."
 Vanishing of the Old Guard
 
 was more or less known in Washington at the time. although the details may never have been published. President Roosevelt was vigorously trying to get through the joint statehood bill. which | the Arizona men regarded as the sum of all iniquity. Sturges had appeared before the House committee on terri tories. where his blunt anger finally oYercame all conventionalities and | Chairman Hamilton simply had to quit calling him down." He was regarded as one of the most dangerous op- ponents of the Presidents plan and would have been a great capture could | he have been won over. one day word | reached Sturges that Roosevelt would | soon begin to bid for him. You tell | the President that he had better not send any such word to me- warned Sturges. But the word came It was | that if Sturges would come over to the causespf joint statehood he could have anything in the gift of the President of | the United States Sturges, of course. refused 10 budge.
 You tell Sturges to go to hell" | Roosevelt Is said to have remarked. on being informed of the Arizona mans attitude.
 And as- he was the President of the United States. l couldn't do a thing to him." Mir Sturges comments mournful-
 
 here set forth is true.
 This, however, is only Mir. Sturges' personal grouch against Roosevelt-it has nothing to do with his attitude as q. member of the national committee; and anyone who believes that there are still honest men in the world will ecredit Mir. Sturges' word on this point.
 Vanishing of the Old Guard
 But 1 am disappointed, my heart is broken" remarks the veteran politician pathetically as he surveys the crowd in the Congress lobby All the boys l ever knew and associated with-Harry New, Denny Mulvane. Blodgett. Crane, Pearl Wright and the rest--they arc getting out of politics. We have our differences, but we are all good friends For years we have carried on the busi- ness of the republican party in our states and in the country and all we get out of fl at the end is abuse-we are called thieves and murderers If they can do any better with the national committee than we have done, let them do it. The whole thing makes me sick The republican party I have known has stood for ideas and for prin- ciples Now they propose to make it stand for one man." W. F.. E.