Mar 21, 2017 4 min read

(Local editorials from 50 years ago are being reprinted every Monday and Tuesday in this column. This editorial appeared in the Valley Independent on March 21, 1967.)

One of the longest and most remarkable careers of public service in the history of Pennsylvania has ended with the death of Edward Martin, a native of Waynesburg, at the age of 87.

Just to name the important elective offices he held suggests the stature of the man: state auditor general from 1925-29, state treasurer from 1929-33, governor from 1943-47 and U. S. senator from 1947 until 1959. His political career also included service as state chairman of the Republican Party and adjutant general.

Parallel with his career as a politician was Mr. Martin’s brilliant career as a soldier spanning over half a century. Enlisting as a private in the National Guard, he retired from active service as a major general and at his death held the rank of lieutenant general, retired. He saw combat service in the Spanish-American War and World War I and was on the verge of getting into the fighting in World War II when the Army wisely decided he belonged on the civilian front.

His neighbors and friends here in southwestern Pennsylvania know, however, that a mere recital of the landmarks of this unusual career cannot describe Ed Martin as he was.

For whether he was wearing a star- studded uniform or sitting in the governor’s office or representing Pennsylvania in the Senate or just walking the streets of his community as a citizen, Mr. Martin was a singular individual.

He was not a complicated man. It could not be said that he had a brilliant mind. He lacked the flashing wit that is supposed these days to be part of the equipment of the successful politician. He slapped very few backs of people he didn’t know.

The Martin qualities were different from these. They included steadiness, single-minded devotion to principle, an eschewing of popularity for popularity’s sake, unfailing dignity in public and private but also a complete lack of haughtiness, and the kind of personal and public integrity that seems to set men apart in the world of politics.

Added to these and perhaps pervading them all was Mr. Martin’s whole — souled patriotism. His patriotism was not the sophisticated kind in favor today. He waved the flag without blushing and made serious — always serious — speeches about love of country, duty, honor, courage and righteousness.

Coming from the mouths of some public men, such utterances have a corny ring. But nobody ever laughed when Ed Martin waved the flag — nobody who knew him, at any rate.

Because they knew he meant everything he was saying and that, with every breath he drew, he believed and lived his patriotism. It fitted the man’s character as the well-tailored uniform always fitted that tall, soldierly figure.

We have always suspected that his complete sincerity was Ed Martin’s secret political weapon. While other politicians were selling the people fancy programs and spinning off tricky ideas from their staffs of experts, Ed Martin talked to the people in the simplest terms about their country and what it had been and what he thought was needed to keep it great.

His stuff was never clever and often nobody seemed to be paying much attention, having heard it all before.

But when the people went to their polling places on election day and found Ed Martin’s name on the ballot, something made them put an “X” after it — again and again and again and no matter what he was running for or, in countless cases, what the party affiliation of the voter happened to be. They knew there was a man back of that name, a man to be counted on, a man to whom public office was a public trust. And something told them we need such men and always will and when we have one, we had better keep him even if he isn’t very clever or amusing or intellectually scintillating.

Now the old gentleman is gone, the splendid physique having finally given way to age, not to any mistreatment by its owner. And we are left with our memories of a noble character as American as the Star-Spangled Banner.