The Washington herald., 1914-03-31
Statesmen, Real and Near.
BY FRED C. KELLY.

| When Josephus Daniels. Secretary Of
the Navy. was attending school down at
Wilson, N. C., 1t was customary every
Friday afternoon for one section Of the
school to give declamations from the plat
! form One Friday a dozen OF the boys,
comprising all that were to speak that
day got their heads together and con-
ceived the merry prank of all giving
the same speech. one after another
The speech they were to give was the
one that starts: "On Linden when the
sun was low, all bloodless lay the un-
trodden snow," etc. ~
BY the time eight or nine Of the jocu-
lar youngsters had given those imperish-
able lines. the schOolmaster was aroused
to a considerable state of ire and dignity.
He sat through one or two more and
then when the twelfth boy was about to
speak, he promulgated these tidIngs:
IF another one of you dares give that
same piece he will remain after school
and shall give him something that will
set him thinking"
Josephus Daniels was the next boy. He
and his companions had entered into a
solemn compact all to give that same
little piece. come what might. As he as
cended the platform and gaZed at the
eager young faces of his accomplices.
Josephus greatly disliked to be untrue TO
his pledge. And yet a glance at the grim
countenance of the schoolmaster sug-
gested to him that pledges were made to
be broken when Unforeseen circum-
stances warranted.
II was n trying situation. For some mo-
ments he stood there wavering. discre-
ton yanking at the anchor Of duty.
And, 10. duty held.
Manfully the brave little chap began:
"On Linden when the sun was"
But he got 10 further. The teacher
laid hands on him.
Josephus had been brave but foolish.
Here is an example of the way false
reports get started.
You have heard that William Jennings
Bryan goes to market with a market
basket. He doesn't. He goes to mar
ket frequently. and buys radishes and
cheese or whatever strikes his fancy.
and samples some of his purchases as
he goes along. but he has the stun all
delivered. There is never any basket
on his arm.
Some months ago as he was walking
down town from his Washington home,
he saw some white radshes in front of
a little grocery. He paused a moment
and ordered a little mess of them sent
to his home.
The grocer was so pleased over ac-
quiring so celebrated a customer that
he began to talk and press-agent him
self. In a few days il was in the papers
about Bryan going about with a market
basket. Bryan is no crank on the sub |
ject OF dignity but he was not greatly
pleased over the market-baskct tale He !
wondered how it got started.
About week later a woman stopped |
al the same little grocery TO look at some |
radishes.
They are very fine" said the grocer; !
Mr.. Bryan. the Secretary OF State. !
stops here every morning with his basket |
on his arm and buys some of those"
So you're the man that started that
market-basket story exclaimed the
woman Il happen TO be a neighbor and
a good friend Of the Bryans and know
ne VIII he interested in learning how
that got started. For you know very well /
that il isn't true"
And the assumption is that BRYAN |
bought his radishcs there no longer.
Ot's Wingo. member OF Congress
from Arkansas. has been addicted all
ms ms ilie 10 the habit OF reading things
'hat The average reader never sees-I
ODD esoteric stun like the Congress l.
slonal Record and Presidential pIat-
iorms- He began reading the Congress II
sional Record almost as soon as he |,
had finished the third reader, and kent Il
II up. without missing an issue, until i
he came to Congress. Then-just when |,
the average Representative would he
acquiring his first acquaintance with
the Record--WingO quit reading il.
1t doesn't seem as worth while any I
more. now that / know all the au-
th"rs.' says Wingo.
WingO knows by heart every Presi-
iential platform that has been drawn |
up in the last thirty years, and he is
probably one OF the few men in the
country who ever took the trouble to
read one clear through
However. this little habit of his came
n mandy when he ran for Congress
lie was in joint debate with his on
oonent and the latter used a phrase
hat Wingo Immediately recognized as
part OF the Presidential platform on
which Mckinley ran in 1896.
'Oh. no." cried WinEO. you're trying
n got the nomination on the Demo-
ratio ticket and you're borrowing
ituff from Republican platforms. Do
'ou think the people will stand for l
hat"
And at wingo's urgent behest. the
'eople didn't
CoInEht. l9li by Fred G Kelly All rights 70 .
servcd.l