Evening star., 1921-10-02
ny THOMAS n. MARSHALL,
Farmer Vice PTesideat Of the
United States.


Farmer Vice PFesiAeat Of the
UniteA States.
~ ALeE IL the conclusion that
@ there are no debts which
are not payable In money
and that all debts are thus
payable. Tho larger part Of that
which owe can never be settled
in the coin of the realm nor disowned
in the counting house of my con-
science. The great debts of life
arc in . currency that cannot be
expanded or contracted. Each
man settles for. himself what he
owes and what he does not owe.
But much a. should dislike to
grow careless about the payment
Of debts which may be liquidated
in currency. I should prefer that
course Of conduct to failure to
mako q payment now and then
upon the debts OF kindness owing
by me.
Perhaps my view may be ex-
planned by an incident In the
Baltimore convention OF 1912.
Some generous friends and the
democrats Of Indiana were in
clinsd to think that II the con-
test for the nomination were long
drawn out between Gov. Wilson
and Speaker Clark. l could be
nominated as a compromise candi-
date.
There arose the contest over the
. temporary craftsmanship and Mr..
Bryan sought the views OF those
whose names would be presented
to the convsntion. was not
thsn-and never have been-a
member Of any faction or follower
Of any man Of my party. never
owned . machine nor run with
machine. My unvarying idea has
been that principles. and not men,
should control the destinies of
the democratic party. I cared no
more for Judge Parker personally
than I cared for Mr.. Bryan. But
did not forget that In 1908,
when Mr.. Bryan was a candidate
for President and ]. was . candi-
date for governor, Judge Parker
had canvassed the state of In
diana for both Of us. Mr.. Bryan's
telegram gave me an opportunity
to mako q payment on this debt.
was advised that tho wise thing
to do was to hedge: that Mr..
Bryan's Influence In the conven-
tion was great, that any real or
seeming antagonism to him would
blight all prospect Of my own
nomination.
But I realised that some time
in the future would meet Judge
Parker, and then when I did he
would be thinking what an in
crate I was, go I wired Mr.. Bryan,
in substance. that the man who
canvassed Indiana for him and
for me was good enough to pre-
side over . democratic conven-
tion.
Z = Z
In tho eight years presided over
the United States Senate I proba-
bly, disagreed at one time or an
other with each member of the
body, but am in debt to every
one Of them for little kindnesses
which cannot be forgotten and
which can never fully be repaid. I
would like to make small pay
ment on account by promoting q
kindlisr public feeling for the
Senate. One thing is sure. steps
should be taken to enlarge the in
formation and lessen tho labors OF
senator's.
No one can long watch the pro-
cedure in the Ssnats and not be
convinced that exact Information
upon Q pending measure 10 largely
confined to . few members. Tho
real work OF the body. OF course. Is
done In committee. When the sub
ject comes up on the floor its dis
cussion. based upon knowledge Of
facts, is conducted by = small
group. The many are compelled to
accept the facts from this group,
some members Of which are op-
posed and some are in favor Of the
measure, Each may be right in
part and wrong in part. How to
get the original facts before every
msmber Of the Senate is the prob
lam