The Washington herald., 1916-03-28
Remains of Secretary to the
Democratic National Com
mittee Taken to Raleigh.
MOURNED BY OFFICIALS
Rise Was Meteonc from Newspaper
man to Adviser to President.
Knew Life from Every Angle.

arrival.
The body was taken on a special car
attached to train, which left Union
Station at $50 o'clock. On the car were
Mr. PenCe's uncle and aunt, Mr.. and
Mrs. Wesley Jones. OF Raleigh. Before
the body was taken to the station it
was viewed by hundreds of friends in
his apartment.
The burial at Raleigh at II o'clock this
morning will be attended by members
Of the cabinet, Senators, the governor
OF North Carolina. and leaders OF the
political and business worlds.
The honorary paIlbearers aboard the
funeral train were DR.. Cary Grayson,
Secretary Tumulty. Senator Ollie James
OF Kentucky. Senator Hughes OF New
Jersey. Secretary Daniels. Otto CsrmI-
chael, Richard v. Oulahan and Gov.
Craig Of North Carolina.
Had Hoped for Recovery.
Yesterday there we're in all the world
only three men who had so compelled
the atTectionste admiration OF the Presi-
dent Of the United States that he called
them by their first names Today there
are only two. Tom Pence is dead.
Although he had been III so long from
complication OF diseases superinduced
by an attack Of pneumonia, his friends
had hoped for his recovery. However.
his condition became critical on Sunday
afternoon, and, although DR.. Cary Gray
son, his physician, had believed that he
would live through the night. the end
was expected within a few hours.
He himself told his nurse that he
knew he was dying. Today would have
been his forty-third birthday
II death may ever come in pomp and
splendOr to any man. il came thus to
Thomas ]. Pence. The end found the
high spirit of the man undaunted. In
the homes Of the great and in the dwell
ing places Of the lowIy. men wept be-
cause Of what had been taken from them.
President Wilson issued yesterday a
public statement which sought to express
his own personal grief and put in words
the loss sustained by the country as a
result of Pence's death.
Voices ChOked with Grief.
In the White House Offices men spoke
in the voice Of undisgUised grief of the
loss that had come to the country and to
the political organization which Pence
had served with such brilIiancy and
sustained ability. The Postmaster Cen
eral, the Attorney General the Secretary
to the President-the highest men in
every branch Of the government, all
of1ciaIdom felt beyond expression the
blow Of the death Of this great man.
There was not the passing, courteous
word OF regret. not the mechanical phras-
ing Of syllables Of sorrow. In the cham
bers Of mems hearts Vas the gloom Of
great grief. And this was so because
above all else. Tom Pence had been a
man wonderfully beloved. The thought
Of his extraordinary career was second
airy. The universal knowledge of how,
starting out in life with nothing but his
own ability resource. he had con-
querCd adverse circumstance and won
achievement as his own personal sphere,
was not the subject Of general Conversa-
ton
The thought that robbed mourning of
its tears was of how all men had loved
him.
Somebody said yesterday:
Nobody knew him but to love him. no.
body ever fought him but to be whipped.
Knew All Phases of Life.
But the affection he inspired was con-
fined to no one class Of people HeI
had touched life at every possible angle
OF contact. Statesmen. jockeys, fnan-
ciers, haCk-drivers, national committee
men, CheCker-boys at the restaurants
diplomats, ChauHeurs, newspaper men,
Chefs-alI Of them had learned to prize
the benefits that came from the COM
panionship of the smiling, high-powered
man who believed in folks" and work
cd for them-and forgot about self
The political wiseacres are authority
for the statement that Pence did more
than any other man to secure the NOM
nation and assure the election of Wood
row Wilson for the Presidency. He went
about that in the same spirit that DOM
mated him when. finding a restaurant
waiter who kept himself impoverished
oy betting on horse racing. he said:
TT Eou1l quit betting on the horses
and will give your earnings to your fam
lily for a yea. I'll get you a job in the
government service
By recommendation OF the President
and as a recognition OF his ability, Pence
was elected secretary of the Democratic
national committee last December 1T
wRs signal honor because 1t was the
first instance of the committees choos-
ing FOR that post a man outside its own
membership
Rise Was MeteorIc.
But it is doubtful that he priced the
distinction any more highly than he did
the courage of a Federal Office holder
who although he was under damasing
charges, refused to help his own cause
b. surrendering certain letters that
might have hurt other men in public
life.
Pence was that sort of a man. Ris-
ing within four years from the COMPARE
tive obscurlty of a popular correspondent
the post Of the administrators most
trusted adviser-it is conceded that Pence
exercised greater all-round political
power than anybody in this country, with
the exception OF the President himself
the things he liked and loved in men
we're squareness, the clean playing of
the game, loyalty and good fellowship.
He was completely alien to self-adver-
tlsement. The smallness of conceit and
the desire for public notice were impos-
sible for him.
Possessed Of a hame-like ardor, a rare
Judge Of human nature, a lover Of his
kind. he considered no service for a
friend too great And the demands upon
him were tremendous. incessant They
GANG from the highest politicians. from
iob-seekers, from seekers OF invitations
TO White House function. from those
who sspired to the embassies abroad
His daily correspondence was a flood
OF letters and kilograms asking him for
something or thanking him for things
already done.
Hated Pretense and snobbery.
And. as he loved his friends Just so
he hated his enemies. Never seeking
a night. he went through with IL to the