The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1919-03-27

tected In wrong doing by Mr.. Cairns
tried to cause his ruin, but his courage
and adriotness brought him out OF
top.
In 1906 he was invited to accom-
pany Secretary Taft and Secretary Of
State Bacon to Cuba. sailing on the
War Vessel with them from Tampa
Fla. He was supposed to be on 6
vacation at the time and at the re.
quest of these two distinguished mer
assisted in re-establishing American
Military Government in Cuba. He
personally witnessed In the Palace In
Havana the deposition of President
Palma, very historic and dramatic
incident His vacation" over he
returned to the Philippines via the
United States in October 1916. tC
plunge into a new contest with Wood
and other implacable enemies from
which, however, he came out victor.
ious as In the first encounter. About
this time he was appointed Collector
of Customs at the Port OF Iloilo but
had only administered this Office a
brief time when, entirely unfore warn
ed. he was summoned by Morgan
Shuster to accompany him to Persia
whittier that gentleman was bound on
a very important State mission. This
took him around the world by the
way of France. Serbia. Turkey and
Russia to the Caspian Sea; thence to
Northern Persia and across mountains
and deserts to Teheran, the Capital OF
that country. On his arrival he was
made Director General of Taxation OF
the Persian Empire. Shuster himself
being Treasurer General.
1t would be hard to define the kind
of Government under which Persia
was suffering at that time. 1t was
supposed to be representative in a
degree and its Parliament and Con-
gress were called the Madjalis. This
body shortly passed laws under which
Shuster became dictator, the absolute
ruler for the time being, and Mr..
Cairns being his right hand man. In
Shusters book THE Strangling of
Persia" issued in 1912, appears a
picture and under 1t the title "F. S.
Cairns, Director of Taxation and Mr..
ShustA Principal Assistant in Persia"
This same volume relates that just
before Shuster left the country he
turned over his office and authority to
Mr.. Cairns and thus our Scion farmer
boy became, for brief period, the
ruler OF this ancient Asiatic Empire
Mr.. Cairns Persian experience was
full OF danger. The country was
seething with intrigue. Executions,
assassinations and open and secret
murder were rife Care and anxiety
nearly broke him down, and when he
found it impossible to accomplish
further good for this distraught land
he and the other Americans, made
their escape. being exceedingly for
tunate to get out of the country alive.
1t Ia OF interest to note that England
and Russia were working to get into
Persia at the time and that Mr.. Cairns
successor was appointed at the be-
hest OF the latter country. 1t should
also be noted here that Don Merrill. a
Skowhegan boy. was Of the Sinister
Cairns party In Persia and Of all the
Americans vino went thru at the time,
was practically the only one whose
health and hardihood permitted him
to stick. Mr.. Cairns left him there
as Instructor in the Gendarmerie,
practically at the head Of the Persian
Military establishment.
On the journey home. Mr.. Cairns
collapsed at Vienna but finally regain
ed his health In part and was reap
pointed to his old position in the Phil
ippines by his former friend, William
II. Taft. His experience In Persia
left his health such that inflammatory
developed after his return
to Manila. After he completed his
duties in the Island he came to Cali
fornia settling on fruit ranch, where
his health was In part regained. Here,
during the last War he was an active
executive member of the Exemption
Board for Napa County and thus he Is
able to enumerate eight wars in which
he had a part; among them: the
Cuban Insurrection, In the Philip
pines, in China, Persia, and the con-
nection just referred to with the last
great struggle. At the present time
Mr.. Cairns health Is good and he ex-
presses the hope that he may again
see Skowhegan and his boyhood home
now C. T. Durham's farm. before he
dies
The Reporter has known in a hazy
way that Mr.. Cairns life was more
replete with adventure than any
other ever lived in Somerset County.
Mr.. Cairns has often been asked to
write a letter for publication and has
at last consented, the following being
the communication we have often
sought.
"St. Helena, California, Dec. Sd, 1913
The Editor.
Independent Reporter,
Me.
Dear SIR
Your notice that my subscrip-
ton expires soon was received this
morning, and hasten to enclose
check for two more years, for fear you
might apply the War Industries rule
providing for advance payments, and
cease sending the most valued paper
of our household.
1t will be fifty years next March
since first began to read THE Som
erset Reporter" l was quite young
but can easily remember how eagerly
the members of the family. on that
dearly beloved old farm in South
Scion, would inquire If 'the Reporter
had come" when we boys returned
from the postoffice. Since those
days it has followed me
all over the World No matter where
| hung my hat and called 1t home,
the Reporter" has found me. In