Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-03-04

SENATE IN ORDER AND MEASURING TINE
OFFICIAL QUARTERS AT TIE CAPIroL-THI
PREsIDENTs AND INDEPENDENTLY ROOMS AMI
THEIR FURNISHING.
The duties Of the Vice-President are not bur-
densome. Considerable dignity attaches to the
Office, and there 10 always q great possibility
before the occupant Of the position, but he has
very little actual power. The only authority
he can claim is that of making the distinguished
gentlemen Of the upper house Of Congress con-
duct themselves in . dignified and becoming
manner, under the parliamentary rules govern
ing that body. The patronage he can dispense
a absolutely his own ID the position Of depart
ment telegraph operator for the Senate and his
own private secretaryship. He can appoint to
these two positions. and those are the only official
acts he can perform that are not merely perfume
tory. But if q Senator tries to speak when it
ID not his turn or, speaking in proper time,
uses improper language or attempts to discuss
the SOLEMN secrets Of executive session before
the galleries have been cleared Of the too-in-
quisitive public, the vice-President can call
him to order, and can enforce respectful obedi-
snce to the rules of the Senate.
HIS INSIGNIA OF OFFICE
II the ivory gavel Of the Senate, which has no
handle to 1t, and the little "hour" glass, which
bellies its name by running its turn in Just five
minutes. With the gsvel be raps for attention
and order, and with the sands of time he meas
ures out the fractions Of the hour to be occu-
pied on certain occasions. As long as he is not
called on to be President Of the United States
all that is necessary Is that he should be digni-
he'd know how to write his name, learn the
rules OF the Senate and the names Of the Sena-
tors. In fact, 1t is not even necessary for him
to know the names Of the Senators. provided
he knows their states. II Mr.. Harris gets up
and says: "Mr. President" be must respond:
THE gentleman from Tennessee" Then he
may be required to answer some parliamentary
question which answer the interrogation knows
e. well as he. If it is the musical voice of Mr..
kdmunds that addresses the chair he has only
to change the state, saying: Tho gentleman
rom Vermont" Then he may proceed with
anything that may occupy his attention until
the Senator is interrupted or yields the floor to
sol some one else. The amount of indulgence
what particular Senator is talking. II,
for instance, Mr.. Morgan is talking
upon some subject that he has devoted some
study to, it is perfectly safe for him to let
the Senate run itself for q number of hours,
smoothly as the polished sentences of the fluent
Senator. Or if Mr.. Coke is talking Of Texas
outrages the Vice-President may be assured
that he will not be called upon to perform any
labor for two or three days, as the Senator is
warranted to run on that long without inter-
ruptlon except for prayer.
burning question Is how a vice-President
may occupy himself during these pro-
tracted periods of eloquence in the Senate. An
old woman would solve the problem very
promptly by taking her Hitting out of the desk
drawer But this is out Of the question with a
statesman He az tn
attention, or get excused by calling some one
else In his place, or he may read book or
sleep unostentatiously. Some in this position
have taken snuff to keep themselves awake,
ton is always at hand by the side of old Col
Onel Bassetts chair. Beside keeping order
and marking time for the Senators the Vice.
President has to sign his name to bills that
have passed the Senate, merely to attest that
they have passed. He has no voice and has
no power to influence legislation.
THE PRESIDENT PRO TEN.
Of the Senate is usually the party leader. He
takes leading part in party caucuses and
takes an active interest in and exercises posi-
tive influence over legislation. He votes and
makes speeches on the floor Of the Senate and
Is positive power. He is a member of the
Senate, chosen to that position on account of
his prominence in the party. He is always in
sympathy with the majority Of the Senate. He
has all his ordinary duties in the Senate, is
chairman OF committee, and has, altogether,
as much as he can attend to.
But the Vice-President has none Of these
duties. The position of presiding officer of the
Senate appears to have been assigned him
merely to give him something to do while wait
ing to see the administration safely through
While his duties are neither complicated nor
gravely important the vice-Presidency is, of
course, very honorable and important office:
and: as the Constitution provides, the man to
hold this position must possess all the aualif-
cations for the presidency, and such a man as
importance