Jasper County Democrat, Volume 15, Number 41, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 August 1912 — MRS. TOM’S PART IN THE ELECTION [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

MRS. TOM’S PART IN THE ELECTION

Governor Wife Has the Memory for Names. - ' 5-jt .. . ROMANCE OF THEIR LIVES The Notification of the Indiana Executive for Democratic Vlce-Presl dency Honora a Record-Breaker. By J. C. HAMMOND. Of Democratic National Publicity Bureau. Indianapolis.—Just about the time that thousands of friends of Governoi Thomas Riley Marshall were anxious ly wanting to shake his hand in congratulation on his acceptance as candidate of vice-president on the Democratic ticket, a smiling woman stepped before him, and if one could have heard what she whispered in his ear it would have been something like “Now, hurry in, Tom, and change your clothes.” And Tom Marshall forgot to shake hands with the enthusiastic, friends until he had carried out the orders of Mrs. Tom. Indiana has honored four of her sons as vice-presidential candidates on the Democratic ticket, but the crowds

that greeted Governor Marshall in the big coliseum in the state fair grounds, Indianapolis, on Tuesday were the greatest in the history of the party. The west wanted to show the east what could be done in notification honors, and, while Mrs. Marshall was happy, of course, over the honors for her husband, she was also worried, for her husband comes mighty close tc being father, husband, son and partner all in one. And when a woman has that combination on her hands to care for she has every right to be worried.

Governor Marshall will never gain any honors as a hammer thrower. He is not built that way. While all the country was reading the vigorous words of Governor Marshall which told the voters what he expects Democracy to do in carrying out the pledges for the next four years it’s worth while to know what part a woman is taking in the affairs of the campaign—how Tom Marshall hap pens to be in the position in which he stands today. The good people of Columbia City, Ind., never thought Thomas Riley Marshall was a “marrying man.” For forty years he had lived with his parents, nursing both his father and mother, who were invalids, which was the reason Governor Marshall was not a marrying man. He felt his first duty was to his parents. Meeting Mrs. Marshall. After the death of his parents Governor Marshall dived deeper into his law practice, and one day an urgent case took him to Angola, Ind. His duties called him to the county clerk's office, and there he met Miss Lois Kimsey, daughter of the county clerk, who was assisting her father in the office. From that day Governor Marshall had more business around the county clerk’s office in Angola than any lawyer in half a dozen nearby counties. Governor Marshall was forty-two years of age when he was married, Mrs. Marshall being nearly twenty years his junior. The Marshalls had been married only a few weeks when the future vice-president was called to an adjolh-' fng county on a case that would consume some five or six weeks of his time. “Now, I did not want to be starting off like that,” Governor Marshall explained to a friend one day, “so I just told Mrs. Marshall that I thought she should go along. And she did.” ' Since then Governor Marshall has never made a trip without Mrs. Marshall going along. They have traveled all over the country totgether; they go to banquets and political meetings together until the friends of the Indiana executive refer to him and his wife as the “pards.” “Tom Marshall is not over strong,” explained one of his friends. “While not a delicate man, his constitution Is not of the most vigorous type. “When be gets into a political battle he forgets his weakness. He gives all that is In him, and that will tell on any man. Mrs. Marshall soon discovered that the governor would become heated In making a speech and the next day his voice would be husky. She decided that he bad better give up some of the handshaking and take care of his health first. So when you find

him making a speech when he has finished he does not stay around to hear the applause of the audience. Rather, he hurries to his room and changes his clothing. "Some people have said, that Tom Marshall is not a handshaking politician. He is not. His wife thinks it Is more important to guard his health than to carry out the old time policy, and she is correct, as she Is In most all other things.*’

"Hom? Air” Prevails. The Marshall home is typical of the mistress. It is a home of books, and still one does not feel ‘‘bookish.’’ One of the Marshall friends said felt like eating when he entered the Marshall home in Columbia City or the executive mansion at Indianapolis. Mrs. believes In a, home first, and the “home air” prevails. "If Governor Marshall ever occupied the White House people would not know that historic institution,” declares an admirer. “Mrs. Marshall would have It a real homo. People would feel comfortable even In the midst of the gold and glitter.” But it is not only as a wife and the mistress of a home that Mrs. Marshall shows her ability. -She is a politician and a'.clever one. She also has a remarkable memory. Governor Marshall has earned the reputation of being In a class of story tellers all by himself. He can remember stories, but he forgets names. A name Is something to be cast aside with Governor Marshall, and this Is one of the regrets of his life. If he has any regrets. The governor Is not a worrying man. He is somewhat a fatalist, but If he could he would like to remember names; but, not having that ability, he does not worry, for Mrs. Marshall Is the name rememberer of the family. She has a peculiar ability along this line. Not only does she remember the last name, but any combination of names comes as second nature to her, and she carries this ability on down to the children and cousins of any one seeking the governor. While the governor Is shaking hands andj trying to remember whether his caller Is Jones or Smith, Mrs. Marshall is busy supplying the Information and asking about all the relatives. Ideal Partners. Governor Marshall has no brothers or sisters, and his parents being dead leaves him somewhat barren of relatives. Governor Marshall’s friends are enthusiastic over his home life. When he has started on talking of his wife a new light In the Hoosier executive comes to the surface. They come near being ideal married partners. “I was talking to Tom one day,” explained one of his most intimate friends. “We were leaning back, and Tom had been telling some of his good stories to illustrate various topics of our conversation. We were waiting for Mrs. Marshall to come back from a shopping four, and I happened to remark that I liked Mrs. Marshall better every time I met her.

“ 'Well, now that’s the way she strikes me, Jim,* he said, ‘We have been married some sixteen years, and as time goes that is a long or short period, just as you think. To me it is but a fleeting day. Then I think back over my married life and find I have grown to know Mrs. Marshall better every day. A man must not only love but he must also respect his partner In this life—respect her in all things. She must have wonderful qualities to make the love and respect grow deeper and better each day. That’s been ■my history. "•The fact that Mrs. Marshall has been In sympathy in my work, my play, my life. Is good. But I have been

in sympathy with hers. Ours is not a one sided life. We have been partners, and that’s the way it should be In this world.’ ” Mrs. Marshall has watched over his administration of the affairs of Indiana with a jealous care. There has been nothing of the spectacular in his administration. It has been a sane government. The laws that he has fought for and won show the spirit of the man. They are uplifting. They deal with the Improvement of man, woman and child. While Governor Marshall is described as a “tender hearted” executive, nevertheless, he is a fighter. He belongs to the old fighting stock of Virginia.

Governor Marshall is not a dodger. He has his opinions, and he lets them be known. While he is an organization man, he knows that organizations are not perfect—that they can make mistakes. If they make mistakes he thinks it is his duty to say so and get the saying over at the first possible moment

Mrs Marshall Is not satisnea wren her domestic duties alone. She wants to do her share in problems of the political and business world. Mrs. Marshall is. said to have discussed In detail with her husband his actions on the Baltimore convention, and when it was seen that Marshall was the man who was going to go on the ticket - with Wilson he wanted to know what his wife thought about it. “It won't be any harder than being governor of Indiana, and If the party thinks you are the man It only agrees with my opinion,” she said, and that settled the matter with Governor Marshall.

- Mrs. Marshall had the honor of being the first woman In Indiana to hold an office. She was appointed county clerk of Steuben county by her father and held that office for a number of years.

When Governor Marshall and his wife were about to be married she decided that her last official act of the office would be to make out the marriage license. Governor Marshall accompanied his wife to the county clerk’s office and watched her with care as she noted the records in the big book and filled out the license and watched her as she carefully signed her father’s name, with her own as deputy. Mrs. Marshall, having blotted the Ink, said, “Now we can go.” “Not yet,” laughed Governor Marshall. , Why, we are all fixed,” explained Mrs. Marshall, pointing to the license. “Yes, but I have to pay for it,” replied the governor. “It’s all right for you to make It out, but It’s up to me to pay the fee.” And he did. Mrs. Marshall Is a keen student, and, having established the practice of going with her husband on all his trips, be they short or long, they make it a point to carry along some books.

Mrs. Marshall Is as much of a humanitarian as the governor. A glance at some of the bills that have been passed by the 1911 Indiana legislature gives an Insight into the governor: To curtail child labor. To regulate sale of cold storage products. ’ To require hygienic schoolhouse* and medical examination of children. The prevent blindness at birth. To regulate sale of cocaine and other drugs. To provide free treatment for hydrophobia. To establish public playgrounds. To Improve pure food laws. To protect against loan sharks. To provide police court matrons. To prevent traffic In white slaves. To permit night schools. To require medical supplies as part of a train equipment. Governor Marshall has also played an active part in providing for protection of labor, as is exampled by the following acts: . To create a bureau of inspection for workshops, factories, mines and boilers. To establish free employment agencies. To require full train crews. , To require safety devices on switch engines. To require efficient headlights on engines. To require standard cabooses. To provide weekly wage, etc. And Governor Marshall has consulted with his “partner” on all these bills. He is quoted as saying a man can’t go far wrong tn taking the advice of a wise—ls she is his partner as well as his wife.

The divided Republican party la like the boy "blowing’’ against the wind.” There will be a lot of bluster, but It will not take votes away from Wilson and Marshall.

Having exhausted his supply of adjectives in denouncing Taft, Roosevelt Is now leading a campaign of denunciation of every one who does not agree with himself.

Farmers have pulled against the short end of the yoke long enough, Wilson and Marshall promise to see that the pulling is made more nearly even.

THOMAS R. MARSHALL.

MRS. MARSHALL.