The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1921-03-24
MARSHALLS WILL
Be MUCH MISSED
FORMER VICE PRESIDENT AND
HIS WIFE HAVE BEEN POP
ULAR IN WASHINGTON.
FINE AFTER DINNER ORATOR
His Humorous Views of the Office He
HeId-Their Receptions Greatly En-
loyed by the Foreign Ambassadors
and Ministers.
BY EDWARD 3. CLARK.

BY EDWRRD ., SLNnN'
Washngton.- w ashington will miss
the Marshalls, the former vice-presi-
dent and his wife.
One of Mr.. Marshalls quips which
is quoted constantly in Washington he
delivered himself Of in response to a
question concerning the duties of the
vice-president. He said:
"rhe vice-president is like man
in u cataleptic fit. He knows every
thing that is going on, but he can't
say word"
1t is pleasant thing once in
while to get away from partisan pol
itics and from all partisan endeayor,
and to say something about the purely
personal side of a man with whom
you may not agree entirely in party
way. but with whom you entirely agree
it be said Marshall will be missed.
No other vice-president, not even
Roosevelt during the time of his in
cumbency Of that office prior to the
death of Mckinley, has been so in de-
mand as an after-dinner speaker as
Thomas Riley Marshall. Some men
here say that he is the best after-din-
ner speaker in the United States. BE
this as it may, | once more than in
umated to Mr.. Marshall when | met
him at one of his own semi-Ottcial re-
Ceptions that having heard him speak
after dinner on a dozen different oc-
casions, | thought he was about the
best ever" as what they call post
prandial" orator.
Mr. Marshall grinned. He said, my
wife tells me that if | talk for five
minutes l am all right but that if /
talk for ten / am lost
Mrs. Marshall's judgment in this case,
if she ever rendered it-for her hus-
band is a good deal Of a quiz2er-is
NOT accurate, as anybody who has ever
heard Marshall at his after-dinner best
Gun testify. When he speaks and
shows symptoms of thinking he has
said enough, the guests almost in
variably call for more, which is fairly
good proof that he can 20 beyond ten
minutes without running up against
any snag of opposition.
Has Spirit of the Poet.
Marshall of Indiana has something
of the poet in him. At a Gridiron
dinner one night he told a little story
which better than anything else per-
haps shows the innner, gentle and APP
precative nature Of the man. He said
that. when he was gOya,nor of Indiana
he stood one day in March looking
out of the state house window 1t was
the first day when there were any
symptoms of spring visible. He heard
bluebird's warblng note, and heard
n woodpetker tapping. He said that he
drank in the sounds and loved them,
but on his calling another state Off
ciaI TO the window to enjoy the blue
bird and the woodpecker with him, the
official turned away and said, "Oh, we
have plenty of bluebirds and wood
peckers; what's the use of making
fuss about themY
Marshall said that he has never
liked that man since. The understand
ing is that the bluebird singing and
the woodpecker tapping as related by
Tom Marshall TO a HoOsier poet gave
the inspiration for a well-knOWn poem.
John l.. Martin managed to secure
an interview with Mr.. Marshall for
the Evening Star of this city few
days ago. Mr.. Marshall added some
thing to what he previously had said
concerning the Office of the yicc-presi-
dent, but he took care to let it be
known in manner as we'll as in form
Of speech that he by no means in
tended to belittle the second office of
government.
His View Of the Office.
He said, "The peculiar position of
the vice-president seems to me to make
HIM the official dner-out of the adj
mlnlstratlon. lie is to an admnlstra-
ton what a charming and vivacious
wife is to an ambitious husband. If
he will beam and smile, manifest good
humor and accept all the invitations
that he can to dinner parties, he can
at feast have the satisfaction of know
ing that If he has been of no use TO
his party, he has not been a stumbling
block in the path of its progress"
The foreign ambassadors and min
listers on duty in Washington always
have made much of the Marshalls. The
President Of the United States. by
virtue Of his Office and his manifold
duties, rarely can dine out. Mr.. and
Mrs. Marshall have given a number Of
semi-publlc receptions on their own
account The ambassadors almost al
ways attended them, because they
liked the receptions and they like the
Marshalls There always has been a
democratic spirit at these vice-presi-
Dental affairs. The wonder is IL there
is anything wrong in saying that or
at these receptions Mr.. Mar
shall has worn a sack coat, bust
ness coat in other words, unless of
course the affair were in the evening
Comment on the Cabinet.
One administration has moved out
and another has moved In. One repre-
sents history made and the other his
tory to be made. 1t Will take the nd