Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-04-26
CURRENT PERSONALITIES

TIVERYBODY like everybody else! This
T. is virtually the slogan of civilization
away from individualism and toward a stand
ardized 'sameness." 1t pours our young
population through mold of schooling and
training, which turns them out pruned ana
pared, as nearly alike as it is possible to
make them In spite Of our acceptance OF
this mode of life persist in setting up
as heroes those stalwart individuals who dog
gedly stick to their own notions and refuse
to allow their individuality to be eXpurgated'
The qualification for coast-to-coast larne
often lies in merely being different" VIII
ness the steadily growing fame of Bernard
Shaw and BILLY" Sunday, whose only re-
semblance is in their initials.
Sometimes, however, with characteristic
inconsistency, the being different becomes
q transgression rather than an attraction
as for instance in the case of the Demo-
cratic Administration officials In Washlhs-
ton. After 16 years of uninterrupted ne
publicanism Washington society had become
quite acclimated. Criticism of Democratlc
variability is concentrated upon the head OIL
"Bryan, Democracy's Goat" according TO
George Fitch who writes amusingly IN Co'-
liers (D: o,,,od
A great many Washingtonians have pracuceu
disapproving of Bryan until any htte tlI'ils ~
NAV do causes them the most exquisite pam
The Chautauuua incident was discussed III W.
the country. In Washington 1t became OlOou-
inrT horror A lot of Washington people had never
heard of Chautauquas until they touhu ,,, Lnts
Secretary Bryan was frequentnS theth, t"eit
they tried to read up the thing in Gaborlau
Iihrarv of crimes 1t wasn't the awfulness or
the deed which shocked Washington: IL was lhe
lack of dignity. No Secretary OF Slale nau
ever "chautaulked" before. 1t hadh neeh uoiie
M all 1t was impossible to conceive. Ihe srndIl-
ness of the salary was no excuse, Knox ana
Bacon and Hay couldn't live on their saIaiies
.t.,l,
tbe country exhibiting in tent. And besides
any one who spends that much money is eN-
travaGant. Nothing contributed more TO @ tme
nnnularitv of economy in Washington in 1914
Than the fact that Bryan couldn't live on Sl2Vo
a year 1t was almost impossible for some 10
find a Republican Congressman VINO would COM
plain about his little old $500 and mileage 10
still Secretary Bryan could live on $1,000 year
and serve his state dinners In beer tunnel
without coming any nearer to suiting his wash
ington critics. 1t is a hopeless case with nm
He lust naturally doesn't suit He wears his
hair wrong. No Secretary. of state mas ever
worn so much hair in the same place, His
clothes are out of focus. His shape Is obsolete
and annoying. He Is said to persplre IN not
weather, Eminent visitors from other eouh-
tries have caught him using a palm lear ran
He wears slippers at home, John Hay never
did thls-or If he did, he set a guard around tho
house. and kept his shame to himself.
Mother Jones
Mother JONES'" for 25 years conspicuous
figure as a laboL leader, stepped into even
wider fame this spring, when she met young
Rockefeller during the hearings OF the Fed
eral Industrial Commission in New York,
and afterward was invited to call on Rookie
feller at his office, a call which lasted for
two hours. She is described by man who
knows her personally Peter Nicholson, in
the Dellneator CD:
Mother Jones is now 50 years old According
TO ones point of view, she is reckless labor
agitator who has stimulated violence in mine
fields all over the United Statesi or she is the
far-seeing organizer OF miners unions, their un-
daunted champion in time Of trouble, the friend
and teacher of mine children and-really
Mother" Jones. with the emphasis on the
Mother"
81 was born in revolution" Mother Jones
says In her public speeches, and this Is literally
true Eghty-two years ago, Just when the irish
expressions were at their worst, Mary Harris
began life in a rough peasants cottage In Cork,
Ireland When she was years old the family
emlgrated to Canada, Mary sent to school
In Toronto, and later became a teacher in the
public schools. We next find her in Chicago, a
forewoman in dressmaking establishment
Here, IN 1860 IT was her lot to oversee the max
ing of the dress which Mrs Abraham Lincoln
wore at the inaugural, Then she married, Her
| husband, George Jones, itlnerant blacksmith ana
| ironmOlder. was identified with the knights of
Labor, hrst OF the Industrial unions They were
| labor's early missionaries. wanderers from
| choice, and they wondered. four children
/ were born to them. Yellow fever In New Or
| leans took her husband and children In one
| week Mary Jones had lost her family. but
Mother Jones adopted Ia their stead the
workers OF America.
| on one occasion Mother Jones went to
Washington TO ask President Mckinley 10 par
don a striker who was serving life sentence
/ Ia the California penitentiary Tor blowing Up the
reilroad bridge At Sacramento. With President
keanus ana <sanszal Aisa4 Ids saagsisss & zfan