The New York herald., 1921-12-18
StanfeId of Oregon,
Who Defeated Chamberlain


Robert Nelson Stanield is the man who
performed a political miracle He beat
George Agnew Chamberlain for Senate
seat from Oregon.
Chamberlain, a Democrat was-is still
doubtless-the most popular man in the
State. Republicans came to the polls on
election day in droves to vote for him.
Nevertheless, young Bob Stanield beat him
in the general avalanche which buried
Democratic hopes last year While it is
fair enough to say that Stanfield rode in
on top of the avalanche it is patiently GER
tain that he had to show something to get
where the avalanche could help.
Young as he is, and there are few
younger men in the Senate-Pat Harrison
of Mississippi at 40 being the youngest of
all-he, too, has tasted the life of empire
builders, and has known the fine joy of
fighting for his rights and the decent set
tlement Of new country. His father was
one of the California pioneers of AS, swept
from Illinois by that wonderful trek but
in the early SOS the elder Stanfeld moved
to Oregon, very young region then, and
took up one of the first cattle ranches in
eastern Oregon.
Young Bob learned ranching from the
grass roots up and got his schooling in a
country school house miles from the range
Those were heated times with their feuds
between stock raisers and the oncoming
sheepmen, and Stanfeld remembers vividly
what II was like to guard the boundaries
of his fathers ranch, Winchester rife over
his arm, to keep back the advancing sheep
herders.
There were hot disputes and a good many
shots fired, but cattle couldn't stand against
sheep. The Bitter Root Ranch of the STAN
fields went the way of many another fine.
free range as the cattlemen grudgingly ad-
mitted that the Umatilla country was more
naturally lowered for sheep than for stock
SO in 1904 the youth who had fought sheep
herders went himself into the sheep busi.
ness and prospered nightly. BY 1911 his
focks were grazing their swaths out of
Oregon into Idaho, Montana and Colorado
Owns More Sheep Now
Than Any One in World
To-day Senator Stanfeld owns more
sheep, probably than any man in America
II not in the world The sign Office o.
Robert Stanfield" is common in many
parts OF these sheep growing States He
supplies many of the lambs that go to
feed the country. His transactions with
banks last year aggregated $150O0,0O0 in
the carrying on of this business.
Every year he winters 100000 shees-
Two years ago they were worth SIG head,
but the price has fallen off dsastrously.
Stanfield got into politics only eight
years ago. going to the state Legislature.
He won the speakership and acquired
following. He is a likable man, affablo.
sympathetic optimistic. tireless worker
Of many stories told about him. one
especially likes n tale of how he climbed
off his horse IN the teeth Of q blizzard to
rescue m injured lamb and carry II ten
miles to camp. In the Congressional
Directory, however he supplies just nine
lines about himself.
Here arc specimens OF the lesser
known" Senator'S The tale is by no
means completed. OF the same vigorous
breed are Bursum of New Mexico Odde
OF Nevada, Gooding Of Idaho. Shortridge
of California. Norbeck of South Dakota
Ladd Of North Dakota-still others
whom the tale will run next week.