Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-07-18
PUBLIC MEN HAVE KNOWN.

1 us who are approaching the three
score years and ten class, as we'll as
i those who are beyond that stage, can
| sincerely attest the truth of this say
ing. Also. 1t Is the choicest recrea-
tion available To those of advanced
years. Even physical suffering may
be endured with patience when the
mind is clear and the memory unim-
paired. through the priceless blessing
of recalling old scenes, old faces and
old friendships.
| To most men and women the scope
of three score years and ten in
cludes many acauaintances, and 10
the man who has spent most of that
period In the active and stirring wurk
of aiding in the production of daily
newspaper, ii brings very many as
| sociations, some of which In time
merge into valued Friendships. And
| rich indeed is he who has many such |
| friends, most of whom have gone TO |
join the great majority" to have the |
mind and memory that can recall |
their forms and faces In manner |
that is well-nigh equal at times to a |
renewal of former relations.
/ have worked with newspapers |
since | was a boy of little more than /
IL years of age. wher, by reason of /
the death of nay father | was impeiled |
to leave school and aid in earning the /
mones' necessary to the family living /
| secured a place in the office of the |
old Delaware Gazette. and just nine
years later, in 1872, after working fl /
other Offices. returned there 10 be-
come city editor OF the Daily Gazette.
into which MIR. Caleb i. johnson, the
proprietor, had extended his semi
weekly issue. And have been active
~ iE newspaper harness ever since.
With a natural inclination To poll
tics-not as t. close connection with
campaign work in detail. and in only
a few instances rs a seeker af support
for public office nay newspaper duties
brought me int frequent and active
intercourse with nearly all political
workers and many public men. ke-
porting public meetings and sonvan-
tions. alsu, the proceedings Of legls-
lativc bodies, naturally LEO - close
contact with the participants. and
how many OF these contacts resulted
In close and laStiug pcrso". friend
ships it would be inaposs..hi sor ne
to say. Nor could | anafe.sitte half
a
with some little details as tc Incl
deuts and characteristics, without run
ming into recital that would he tire
somaiy long and. fear. devoid or
interest.
As to Public officials.
In addition 10 numerous holders OF |
minor Offices, / have enjoyed In my
time personal acquaintance with every |
mayor OF Wilmington from Joshua
Maris. first elected in 1854. TO His
Honor Mayor Leroy Harvey. and how
msny members OF CITY Council and
of other raunicipaI bodies l have per- |
sonalIy known / could aot pretend to |
say.
have known all the governors of !
Delaware from Gov. salisbury, elect
ed ia 1856 him by sight only-to
Governor William ID. Denrsey. with
the exception. hardly know why. OF !
his immediate predecessor, Governor 9
John G.. Townsend. Jr. whom ! never
sncottrters q Ia person. Aad during the
sara. period ] have hal pe-sonaI ar-
1uaintanee Of some sort or other with .
AIRS. evs~y oth.r official of the State !.
government. q
/ haze beer personally acquainted )
yita all ths Judiciary. of the state :
rom 1s70-:heu including Chief
TIstiea Edward W. Gilalr., Associate
Judss.s Edwsrd Woote en-, John ". :
4,3ste-a aud Lens ard y. Wales ahd
,harteellor Da1Sel -. Isstes--alad 'ay /,
ella tons with SINE n thau! were 3
nitrate and % me yery pleasing. 3
Also. / .haVs EerscI ally kanwn ete.y r.
.ttcrney-g.f.eral curing that period- II
IaecI Moors Charles b. l. lre, John u a
Bennington. .Cfeorgt Gray, John IL. a
,axnter. John Biggs. Johr X. Nichoi- a
ION. Robert c. White, Herbert Ii p
Nard. Robert. III. Richards, Andrew {. ii
irav. Josiah q. Wolcott. Da.ied ]. Il
y.inharot end Sylvester ID. Townsen9. e
well and affectionately remember 81
tIdge Willard Hall. who was ap- A.
,ointed Judge of our United states Il
district Court in 1922, and renamed u
here for more than half century, 10
nd in my carly reportorial days had
10 enjoy his genial dis
curse j knew his successors TO this =,
AZ. Judge Edward c. Bradford. Judge :.
+. Wales, Judge Edward G. 4,
Jr., and Judge Hugh NJ. -
Iorris, now serving so acceptably. ~
| have enjoyed the personal ac- a.
uaintance of all our United States N
enators, beginning with Willard re
aulsbury. the elder, who retired from al
ie Senate March 4, 1871. had no per- il
Jnal acquaintance with Thomas +. ar
a'yard al the time he was first elect a,
1, in 1869, on the same day that his as
,ther, James A. Bayard. was chosen as
, fill a vacancy and on the fourth ad
AZ of March ensuing, surrendered eli
is seat 10 his s6n, but ] knew him en-
ell by sight, haying frequently seen br
i'm in Wilmington. Later il was my lis
riviiege to know him well. ] do not br
etaH having even seen James 4. fei
ayard save upon one occasion. at the So
neral of Chief Justice Gilpin, in 1876. 5e
hen he called 10 pay the last final co
ibtte TO his old friend. lie was &c
ute feeble at the time. and came as
aning on the arm Of Mayor VIII IN
nm G. whiteiey. He died five years "a
ter. in 1881, full of years and .ic
,nors.' Is
Thomas +. Bayard. pc
With a natural inclination TO dwell 81
some length upon my acquaintance
lth these public men and the pleas SIC
< associations with some of them. sh
valuable to me In many ways, at
n restrained by conscientious de- sii
rc TO avoid undue length. and also pc
the feeling that some of them now m
ing are aperse to public mention ats