The copper era and Morenci leader., 1912-01-26
Who's Who---and Why

tive halls-and' wondered why. To what end should man persist in com ing to Congress from a territory when his coming meant nothing to anybody save the salary for himself and an occasional chance, by courtesy, to make speech? He has no functions. He is an added member of commit tees, always at the bottom, and mere ly noise at committee meetings if so he chooses to be noisy. To be sure, he can help some in getting legislation for his territory if he is popular. but it is all by personal solicitation and not by any power of voting that he may have.
 To what end, did I ask? We'll, in the case of Marcus Aurelius Smith, aforesaid, it has been to the end just attained-the United States Senate, to be exact; and maybe Mark didn't know what he had in mind Maybe he didn't and then again maybe he did! The aids have it. He didi Ar irving in, Washington as a territorial delegate, with a voice and no vote, Marcus Aurelius didn't bore anybody with his voice. He just moved around and watched developments.
 He first came to the Fiftieth Con- gross, soft-spoken, genial, pleasant man, who soon developed as good story-teller,- Hkable companion and a citizen of parts. He was modest and unassuming and effective. Even in those days there was demand that Arizona should be state. Mark fos- tered that demand. In season and out of season he worked for statehood Occasionally when the matter was up he made a speech about it, and show cd how valid the demand of his ter ritory was; but mostly he circulated and talked and unanswered and plan ned and tried to get statehood over. 1t was long job and tiresome; but Mark stuck to it.
 He came back to the Fifty-irst, the Fifty-seeond and the Fifty-third Con- gross, dropped out of the Fifty-fourth, got to the Fffty-ffth, dropped out again for the Fifty-sixth, was there in the Fifty-seventh, couldn't make it for the Fifty-eighth, but did get to the Fifty-ninth and .Sixtieth. They beat him for the Sixty-frst, or he didn't run - forget which. Anyhow, all these years every time there was any talk, however desultory, about statehood for Arizona, Mark Smith was on the job. He was there, and urged his claims and the claims of his people. On several occasions it looked good but at the last moment something hap pened. Mark took few twists at his mustachios and began all over again. Though it may be he didn't have much to do with the enabling act, as it was passed finally, it is undeniably true that his work during all these years laid good share of the founda- tions for the statehood Arizona now has. rs.-t.. ,i,-s ss-ss'.-
 Nor did Marcus Aurelius lose sight of the fact that when state is made two Senators are made also, or can be from the beginning. Politics in ter ritory is as various as elsewhere-and mostly more so. He had to fight for everything he acquired personally; and some of the fights were bitter ones. Still, the fighting part of it didn't bother him much for he comes of line of sturdy Kentucky folks; nor did he let any grass grow under his feet-if grass grows in Arizona let any cacti grow under his feet that's better-for he hadn't moved from Kentucky more than a year when he went out for the office of prosecuting attorney for. his district and was elected. He has been active in Arizona politics ever since-and that was away back in 1882.
 As the original Marcus Aurelius meditated on an occasion when he was meditating in good form: That which comes after ever conforms to that which has gone before" What went before for Mark Smith was six teen years of consistent, intelligent service for his people as territorial delegate. He is experinced in legisla- tive ways, knows the mechanics of Congress, is popular and an able citi- zen. Also he will be a notable addi- tion to the Democratic Story-Tellers' Club; but he will not devote so much time to that end of the game that he will not get all that is coming to him as representative of the new state in the Greatest Deliberative Body in the World. Three cheers,
 Reverting to the Great Mediator, he once handed out this advice: Look to the essence of things" They gave that to our present Marcus Aure1ius when he was A hoy in Kentuckv Eor