New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1921-03-25
MARsHAL[S 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-
joyed by the Foreign Ambassadors
and Ministers.
BY EDWARD B. CLARK.


BY EDWARD 3. CLARK.
Observation-Disclosures will miss
the Marshalls. the former vice-presi-
dent and his wife.
One of Mr.. Marshall's 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:
THE vice-president is like a man
in u cataleptic fit. He knows every
thing that is going on, but he can't
say u word"
1t Is u pleasant thing once in a
while to get away from partisan pol
tiles and from all partisan endeavor.
and TO say something about the purely
personal side Of a man with whom
you may not agree entirely in a party
way. but with whom you entirely agree
In a human way. SO II C again let
1t 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 rs 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 1t may, l once more than In
timated to Mr.. Marshall when | met
him at one of his W semi-Oficlal re-
ceptiOns that having heard him speak
after dinner on a dozen different &C.
cnsiOns, ! thought he was about the
best ever" as what they call a post
prandial" orator.
Mr.. Marshall grinned. He said, MY
wife tells me that II ! talk for five
minutes ] am all right. but that If /
talk for ten l am lost"
Mrs. Marshalrs judgment In this case,
II she ever rendered it-for her hus-
bund is a good deal of a quizzer-is
not accurate, as anybody who has ever
heard Marshall at his after-dinner best
can 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 go 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 INNER, gentle and ap-
preciative nature Of the man. He said
that when he was governor Of Indinna
he stood one day in March looking
out of the state house window. II was
the first day when there were any
symptoms Of spring visible. He heard
a bluehird's warbling note, and heard
a woodpecker tapping. He said that he
drank In the sounds and loved them.
but on hIs calling another state Off.
cIal 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 a
fuss about themT
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 poen.
John J.. Martin managed to cur
IN interview with Mr.. Marshall for
the Evening Star OF this city a few
days ago. Mr.. Marshall added some
thing to what he previously had said
concerning the office Of the vice-presi-
dent, but he took care TO let II be
known In manner as well 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
hun the official diner-out Of the ad-
m~Inistration. He Is { o an administra-
ton what a charming and vivacious
wife Is to an ambitious husband. II
he Will beam and smile. manifest good
humor and accept all the Invitations
that he can to dinner parties, he can
mt least have the satisfaction Of know
Ing that II 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 Marshails. The
President OF the United States, by
virtue Of his ofic and his manifold
duties. rarely can dine out. Mr.. and
Mrs. Marshall have given a number Of
semi-public 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 q
democratic spirit al these vice-presi-
Dental affairs. The wonder is II there
Is anything wrong In saying that or
dinarfly at these receptions MFR. Mar
shall has worn a sack coat. a busi-
ness coat in other werds. 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. II will take the sd-
REVOLUTIONARY ARMY UNIFORM