The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-07-26

- az mer-time Mecca
sss%Ig| q in the land. The
SIS s~@S.sstEss vice president Of
ssS..s9Ec $3.50 b L n e d
States has made
arrangements to while away the warm
weather there, 50 far as his official
Flutes may be said 70 make such a
thing as willing away any kind Of
weather possible TO him at all, and his
Interesting fanily's presence must, Of
eourse. be IN event in itself. But in
addition to the SteyensOns. the Maine
resort viii also rejoice in the presence
Of the chief justice of the supreme
court of the United States. a gentle
man whose family is larger than is
that of our second magistrate. and
fully as interesting, if not more 50.
These two exalted officials are warm
friends. Much OF their mutual leisure
is passed in each others company, and
both are alike in keeping very much IN
retirement. The vice president par
ficularly is careful in expressing his
opinions on any subject, and his sUg-
cess in managing the senate Is ascribed
TO the tactful conservativeness with
which he can decide a heated difference
without otfense to either party in
volved. Yet he is not the victim Of any
overp0wering sense Of his own dignity,
by any means He is nothing if not af-
1able.
Few people are aware that Adlai z.
Stevenson is an unusually well-edu-
Gated nlan-far better educated than
Grover Cleveland. The vice president
is really a scholar, whose reading has
covered nearly the whole of the ocean
of literature, and here and there has
dipped deeply Indeed he Is great
admirer of Gladstone almost entirely
because the grand old man has not let
his lore get rusty in the strife Of party
warfare.
Il sincerely hope he viii come 20
this country said Mr.. Stevenson, when
the matter Of the possible visit was
broached- 1t was evening, and official
cares were temporarily laid aside.
mo, it may be that Mr.. Gladstone
viii find our request impossible" pro-
reeded Nr. Stevenson, in answer to an
pther question. Zone can readily I'M
herstand how resting must be his pres
ent learned leisure. He can really be-
gin life over again among his books
and that is one Of the best ways of
finding out from experience that man
is only as old as nc feels. BY the way,
how is it that the older a man grows
The more he loves Horace? Oae would
think, in view of the amorous ditties
Sung by the portege of hIaecenas, that
only young fellows of twenty-five or
go, would care for him. But that is
not SO at all 1 think it is because
Horace IS q sort of mertrical fountain
of youth You can't feel old reading
him"
Mr.. Stevenson expressed some eager
hess to see the result of Gladstone's la
bors as a translator of Horace. Our
rice president by the way, is one Of the
most tinguished-indeed the most
tstinguished-signer of the petition
presented to Gladstone to honor our
republic with his presence.
Are our public men as learned as
bnose ia England, MIR. Stevenson.
1T depends upon what YOU mean by
learned In the first place, opportu-
hities for the display Of learning are
not 50 frequent IN our public life as
they are on the other side When a
man gets up to speak in congress on,
BAY the tariff question, we do not ex-
pect him TO drag Homer IN. An allu-
zion to or quotation from any classic
sl author is rarely happy here in such
3 connection. And because the air Of
debate does not vibrate with Latin and
Ereek quotations the assumption is
hastily made that our public men could
not do something in that line if it were
appropriate. That is mistake Learn
Ing In official life Is not at all unusual
with Us You would be surprised at
che mea who come TO Washington did
you have opportunity Of finding out
how wen-educated they really are.
But it is not knowledge so much as 40
ton that attracts attention here"
The vice president. by the way. has
long been a deep student of social phe-
nomene, yet his opinions are slowly
formed. No one, for instance. has ever
succeeded in getting from him an ut
terance on the future Of the social or
ganisn. If he discusses such questions
Mt al, and nc certainly must, what he
says is not made public except when
he speaks before an audience. He is
unusually effective at such times.
largely on account of q magnetic quail
lty in his voice, and an ability to keen
The interest Of the listener constantly
aroused. Il is not merely classical lore
that Mr.. Stevenson has assimilated. but
the fruits Of the research Of workers
In philosophical and scientific fields.
Hence the veritable avalanche of invi-
tations to him 10 speak on ali possible
and impossible occasions.
The conversation drifted to scenery
and Mr.. Stevenson was asked what he
thought were the most beautiful por-
tons Of our country.
That is question 10 which only a
general answer is possible" he re-
piled, and 4 general answer is usually
10 answer at all How can Won insti-
tute 2 comparison between the naturs;
beauties Of Virginia and those OF
Maine? Or between those Of California
and those Of New hampshire? Do you