Charles Salmon prospered as a storekeeper and became a grazier in the Talbot district, and Susannah's brother was head of a tobacco importing and manufacturing company.

He was honorary surgeon for the South Yarra Relief Committee where he met Alfred Deakin, and the two men formed a lifelong friendship.

Salmon won an 1893 by-election for the Victorian Legislative Assembly seat of Talbot and Avoca as an independent, His biographer writes that 'Immediately he abandoned medicine for politics and soon identified with the Deakinite liberal causes of anti-sweating legislation, a shorter working week and a high tariff'[2] He was a minister without portfolio, and subsequently Minister of Public Instruction and commissioner for trade and customs, in Allan McLean's government from 1899–1900.

Salmon was elected as his successor on the same day, defeating Philip Fysh and Agar Wynne with the aid of Deakin's personal support.

Charles Carty Salmon joined the South Yarra branch of the Australian Natives' Association ANA in 1894, and was immediately elevated to the board of directors.

Punch magazine commented cynically that Carty Salmon also aligned himself with the 'rising young men' in the House who were 'using the Australian Natives Association as a ladder to climb on'.

He died on 15 September 1917 at his home in South Yarra and was buried with Masonic rites and full military honours.

His eulogy was delivered by Lowther Clarke, Archbishop of Melbourne, and both Prime Minister Billy Hughes and Leader of the Opposition Matthew Charlton attended his funeral.