The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1915-03-06
Statesmen, Real and Near
BY FRED c. KELLY
Copyright. 1915, by Fred G. Kelly)

WASHINGTON. March s.-willard Sauls-
bury. OF Delaware. Is probably our most pre-
destined United States senator.
Away back In the gummy and misty past y
was in the cards that he should have a seat In
the senate. He could no more have helped be
coming a senator than he could have avoided
living In Delaware and his residence In Della
ware was fixed for him great many years ago
by no less a person than William Penn.
Old VIII Penn. 1t viii be remembered. was
the nations first great real estate shark. He
would take three or four strings OF beads, a
couple OF blankets. and a few pieces OF bright
colored yarn and 20 among the Indians boast
fully exhibiting these gaudy but inexpensive
articles. The Indians would covet them and be
would begin to decker When he got through
the Indians. who possessed only scant sense
OF proportion, would have his dimes worth OF
beads and he would 1ave two three hundred
square miles Of rich timber land
One of the real estate operators that Penn
loved to deal with was Lord Baltimore, who con-
troIled the land that Is now Maryland and Della
ware IL properly approached. Lord Baltimore
could be drawn into realty transaction oy
which he would part with great deal OF land
for little more than the cost OF round OF drinks
Sometimes when one looks al certain lands IN
Maryland one Is not sure that Lord baltimore
got any the worst OF the bargain At that
while ago a real estate man undertook to sell
me q piece OF land near Baltimore that he said
was ripe for allotment When looked AZ II /
found that the land entirely under water
instead Of the front foot. The real estate agent
and William Penn would have been great com
pany.
However. we're strsying from the main thread
of our tale which Is supposed 10 deal mostly
with Senator salisbury. Wei. one Of William
PENIS real estate purchases from Lord Baltf
more was little chunk OF land that formed what
Is known today as the state OF Delaware by
that time Penn mad acquired practically all the
land he needed for his own use, and he let one
or two friends In on the Delaware deal One OF
those friends was kin TO Senator Willard Sauls-
bury, who now owns 400 acres or 50 that was
involved in that same transaction The land
has never been decided since Saulsburys early
ancestor first came by Il, but has always been
passed down by inheritance. Thus we see how
the Saulsburys became identified with Delaware.
When a man is a member Of an old family in
state as small Delaware IL is not altogether
easy for him TO avoid being drawn into politics.
Salisbury is the third Of his family TO serve in
the United States senate. His father and an
uncle preceded him. He has known for 80 years
or more that he might we'll resign himself
TO becoming q senator. As youngster. when
ever he expressed childish desire to be cow
boy or a freight brakeman or a livery stable
proprietor, his folks certain 10 remind him
thar II BiTUuft hfS am 6t1Uu % 70 20 the
United States senate. like his dad and his uncle
For time Salisbury tried 10 eXtrcate him
self from the meshes OF Fate. but II was no use,
as he soon came TO realize. When he was finish
ing up a prankish career at the University OF
Virginia he greatly desired TO become mining
engineer. lie would 20 out west. help extract
mineral wealth from the bosom OF mother earth,
and be a real producer. As soon as Saulsbury's
father heard OF this he rounded linn up and
placed the lad in bis office, with a copy OF
Blackstone in his lap.
Salisbury then made discoyery-that study
Ing law had certain advantages For example.
he could get his reading all done by 10 o'clock
In the morning and devote the rest OF the day
to rowing and fishing This seemed 10 him en-
tirely fair and reasonable, and he reconciled
himself TO becoming a lawyer.
Though he Is a serious. almost fierce looking
person, Salisbury Is not half serious he
looks and If not fierce at all To the con
trary, he has an exceptionally engaging person
atty; and also a habit OF sticking 20 his friends
clear up TO the last toot OF the whistle.
There no possible way for him 20 keep
out OF politics. II was In 1899 that he first be
gan 10 be nominated for the United States sen
ate. He has been the Democratic caucus nom.
inee Mt every session Of his state legislature
since then until 1918. Now. II stands TO reason
that II a man permits himself to be nominated
for a position over and over again he runs the
risk OF carrying HIS pitcher TO the well once too
often. Sure enough. in 1913. the Delaware legis-
lature was Democratic and Salisbury was
elected-just as II was intended that he should
be. clear back in the days OF William Penn
and, doubtless, even much longer ago than that