The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1928-04-05
FAMOUS MAN
PASSES AWAY
EARLY TODAY

and the beautiful thing about L
that when you have advanced
years your stating the thing 1oesu
lead people to believe that yev q
Dragging about yoursslf, beeeuse
is what comes In the couyso {
nature.
Il have had my ups and down
good luck and bad luck, losses On
gains, and when ] come to sum Il 4
l think have got on the whole VIA
l deserve. II Is ali . matter o /
what. during the later years. III
waves will cast upon the sands q
time. If it gives you friends mol
withstandtng your yesrs, Il Il Give
you health; il it gives you wor
sufficient to keep your mental m
physical activities slive, then lite
worth living"
Chauncey Mitchell Depew, VIII
was credited with having originate
two-thirds of the funny stories tol
around the world, made his fir
public speech several years befor
President Lincoln became . residen
Of the White House; and nearly Il
years later, with health and vjgo
unimpaired, he was still . fayorit
in new generation.
Reputation Widespread
His reputation as m after-dinne
story-teller was so widespread tina
it largely cclipsed the more serjou
work of his business and politica
career, which included Republican
campaigning in all the natioua
canvasses from Lincoln to Harding
IL years in the United States sen
ate; IA years as president Of TIL
New York Central railroad, sns
many years as chairman Of TIL
board of directors Of the LAX,
Shore, the Michigan Central. an
the New York, Chicago + st. Loui,
railroads. He also was Z director
and legal adviser in many Other
corporations throughout the eoun.
try.
After-dinner speaking he called
his recreation" and he INDUCED
in it to a greater extent perhSps
than any other man Of his time. NJ
New York dinner or Yale occasion
particularly, was complete without
mis- presence and speech. The Mon.
tauk Club Of Brooklyn marked time
for him by giving q dinner in his
honor on every birthday for nearly
30 years back. The extent Of his
participation in notable dinners waa
emphasized in 1910, when it waa
found that eight large volumes were
required to contain his speeches,
which were published in . private
de luxe edition At that time.
II am known as an afteY-dinner
speaker. ] hope l also am known
as a man who works." he said on
his 8Oth birthday. "My dinners
have never interfered with my bus
iness-they have been my recrea-
tion. Most men get their relaxation
in cards. That makes them keep
late hours, and they sit in . room,
with bad air and drink too many
cocktails. They die young.
Speaking las Easy
when ! was very young I de-
cided to make dinners my recreation.
Speaking was easy to me. NY d.
gestion might have nDthered me If
l had not been careful. expert
mented to find just what / could eat
best. / soon determined to play
with everything, but to eat nothing
except the roast and game courses.
The trouble with the average man
is that he cannot restrain his appe-
tite. But z public banquet, II eaten
with Thought and care, IL. no more
Of strain than dinner 1t home"
Mr.. Depew was born at Peekskill,
N. T., April Is, 1884. His ancestors
on the paternal side were French
Huguenots who cam. to America in
the 18th century, and on the Mater
nal side he was descended from
Roger Sherman, signer Of the
Declaration Of Independence. The
house where he was born had been
the Depew homestead for more than
200 years.
The father, in addition to being =
merchant and farmer, also was .
pioneer in river Transportation be-
tween Peekskill and New York city.
The mother, = woman Of highly de.
veloped literary tastes was chiefly
responsible for the thoroughness 81
her sons education. He obtained
his preliminary training in Peeks.
kill Academy, and in 1862 entered
Yale. from which he was graduated
four years later as 2 baryjster.
Began Law Practice
Returning to the farm ct the age
Of %, he clashed with his father
over politics, and subsequently, aban.
doned the latter's Democratic faith
to take local stumps in favor Of
Fremont and his free soil cam
paign. After the election he began
practicing law, and earned his first
fee-$1.75-for m opinion that 70.
CURED several days b proparo-
just about the time Lincoln was
first mentioned for the presidency,
He Immediately entered The cam.
paign on behalf Of the latter, and
gained considerable fame a. . po-
litical orator.
Eight years later hs had been
and confirmed for the
post of American minister to Japan.
Previous to this he had been sccre-
tary Of New York state and bad
held several other public Offices,
although he declined more political
perhaps than any 9TH
er young man in the country.
Just % Depew was preparing %
leave for japan, Commodore Van.
derbilt acquired the New York Z
Harlem railroad ~ 120 miles Of
"junk." % he Afterwards described
it. He called upon Depew ana Of.
fered him the position o. general
counsel ct . salary of 1880 : year;
but the young lawyer promptly In.
formed the 4inaneier that he ives d
receive : much higher salary q
TITS UP to yeu." Vanderbilt -.
piled. Railroads are tho eayeer %,
= young man. Jhere II netting q
politics. Don't make . fool u yonr.