Evening star., 1921-05-29
BY JAMES A. BUCHANAN.

~ senator is quite cosmic jump.
but the leap was made-by
Ralph H. Cameron, who, on
the 4th Of March last took his seat in
the United States Senate as the junior
senator from the sovereign state of
Arizona The life of this tanner of
bad men" is a most interesting one.
His career has not only been marked
with daring deeds and romantic hap
penings. but it has furnished lesson
in perseverance.
Some fifty years ago, in Southport.
Me-. a babe came into the world on
that rock-ribbed coast. much to the
delight Of a wonderful mother and a
sturdy fisherman father. who wrest-
ed the family livelihood from the
briny deep. The early days Of the
senator's life were spent along the
shores Of the Maine coast. Here he
grew from babyhood into a sandy
haired, freckled- face, blue-eyed kid.
Later he, took to going out to sea
with his father and his comrades. Not
large for his age, but because Of plain
and healthful food. proper hours of
tho Maine shore. he soon developed
into a small, but exceedingly wiry
young man. and it was his fathers
fond boast that Ralph could do a
mans work in the course OF the days
labor. The call Of the sea palled, the
/ call Of the west was insistent, and
| SO, in the spring Of SO he trekked to
Arizona.
| Upon his arrival there he secured
| job-not a position-in general
i ;civ of
| later date, he became owner. In those
DAYS vast fortunes were being made
| in the cattle and sheep industry. The
| young man. being of Scotch ances-
| down east" had been thrifty. and it
F! was not long before he was actively
engaged. in a small way. in the cattle
! and sheep business. and. while ne was
/: successful in this enterprise 1t proved
, to be of too tame character ana ne
| took UP mining as side line. He APP
F.. plied himself to this industry with
! characteristic thoroughness. and many
! of the mining camps in Arizona. New
Mexico and Nevada. some OF which are
| now but silent memories. saw the
| slight but athletic young man lead
ing his burros but. as it is phrased in
I; search of ground that might yield
; some of the precious metals.
HISTORIANS. when they write the
Il real simon-pure history of this
| country, will state that the state OF
| Maine is a kindergarten and post
| graduate school for politics, and
Young Cameron had carried with him
the germ of political activity.
His first local public office was that
Of being a member of the board of
| supervisors. serving four years Two
! years as chairman of the board. Ihen
! there came time when "go-get-
| un-and bring EN- back Sherin was
| needed in Coconino county Sherins
in that part of the United States mad
! to be made of the stun that enaples
/ an officer Of the law to unfnichingly
take into custody q cowboy who had
| gotten .Iikered up and was engaged
| in the pleasant occupation or eitner
shooting put the liKhts Or os, khochths y, the
! bar. This period, one must remem,
| her deals with the "bar-gonc days.
The sheriff had to be man OF inc
highest courage; He had to De at man
throw on his "six-guns." swing into
tha saddle and go after and bring in,
| dead ar alive, the bad men VINO ex-
isted in that section OF the country
at that time. ..;. s,,s in tn.
| gallery of the Senate. his eyes may
1est on biue-eyed. smooth faced.
!; light sandy and grayish haired: why
and well groomed member of that
| body. If perhaps you sit next 70 MIN
| in a street car, you VIII note that ne
| has kindly expression. that the oiue
| eyes are mild and indicate peaceiul
disposition. but the writer would no.
| advise trying to tweak his nose or
heIittle a friend of his or to abuse
dumb animal. because this gentle.
niacid person can change into a
steeiy-eyed, vigorous and hitting-on-
aiI-cylinders piece of humanity.
| shortly after the senator's coming
IN Washington the writer happened
TO witness an occurrence that took
! ,,lace near the Union s,ation. a.
6urly driver was alternately yankins
~ his horses mouth and belaborlng
the steed with a whip in an endeaVor
TO have the horse pull an overloaded
! w,gon From off the sidewalk
stenned a man who spoke quietly to
inc driver. suggesting that the load
was too heavy for the horse on the
slinpery street. The driver turned
and sneeringIy told the senator to
| mind his own business. The repre-
sentative of Arizona in the Senate
does not believe in indulginE in fiisti
cuffs on the public highway. neither
does he believe in seeing dumb ami
mails abused Sufficient it is to say
that the driver deposited part of the
load on the sidewalk and will in flu
ture. no doubt. refrain from either
abusing animals or starting to curse
wiry gentlemen in cutaway coats. No.
there was no unseemly fight. 4 gentle
ladmonition coupled with a steely grip
Iof the drivers Wrist-that was All.
lit is better than An even bet that the
l.,,r