The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1893-10-23
NO SENATE CLOTURE.
Fice-President Stevenson's Views on
the Matter.
Il Cannot be Adopted in an Emergency
Why He Refused to Shut OF
the Debate

Washington, Oct. 20.-(Special cor
respondence Of The Herald. )-Public
attention has been drawn to. Vice
President Stevenson recently more
strongly than at any other time since
he assumed the chair of the presiding
officer of the Senate. A proposition
was discussed in the newspapers and
received a great deal of attention in
the Senate, that the debate on the sill
yer repeal bill should be brought to
an abrupt close by the e-president
refusing to recognize senators who
may wish TO address the Senate and
putting the vote on the pending ques-
ton This was the proposition made
to Mr.. Morton at the time when the
Democrats in the Senate were trying
to prevent a vote on the Force bill by
dilatory motions and debate. Mr.. Nor
ton, it will be remembered, refused to
take the responsibility of violating the
rules Of the Senate and SO the Demo
cratic senators were successful in de-
fe9tnig the Force bill which would
probably have passed the Senate if
it had come to a vote. Mr.. Stevenson
would undoubtedly have made a GER
tain popularity for himself at and
time during the silver debate by re-
fusing to recognize the obStructionistS
and putting the question on the Voor-
hees bill But there was never the
least danger that he would do SO.
Mr.. Stevenson regards himself as
bound by his oath to obey the rules
of the Senate and while there is no
specific Senate rule which denies him
the right to judge whether a pending
motion is intended to prevent legis-
lation and is therefore dilatory. there
is no authority for him to exercise
his judgment in recognizing sena tors
who wish to offer motions and make
speeches. Mr.. Stevenson may not
achieve the popularity with the
thoughtless public which that revolu-
tionary method would bring him. but
he viii merit the admiration and es-
TEEN of every member Of the Senate.
Though Mr.. Morton refused to carry
out the wishes of the Republican ma
jority in the matter of the Force bill,
he left the presiding officers chair
with the warm esteem and friendship
of every senator on the floor without
regard to party.
Aside from the high honor of being
the peoples choice for the second
highest place in their gift, there is
very little in the office of the vice
president to reward the man who is
fortunate enough TO hold it except the
friendship of the men in the Senate
with whom he comes in daily contact.
The vice-president has absolutely
nothing to do but to act as the pre-
siding officer of the Senate. He has
no voice in the management of the
great departments, he has no voice in
legislative affairs unless some extra
ordinary crisis should see the Senate
equally divided on some momentous
piece Of legislation and he should
have the cast and deciding vote;
and he has not even the satisfaction
that the acknowledgements of state
possesses in the right to occupy the
chief executives place in his absence.
The vice-preSident is never the acting
president of the United States. Only
one contingency could place him at the
head of the nation, and that would
make him president OF the United
States until the end Of his term. The
duty which the constitution provided
for the vice-president was to preside
over the meetings of the Senate; and
except in one contingency, ali that he
can hope to do is to make a good pre-
siding officer.
Mr.. Stevenson came to the office of
vice-president with more legislative ex-
DEIlClCS lHdn MI morton mac. he mas
taken hold of the work of the president
of the Senate, therefore, much more
quickly and much more easily. I
asked him at his rooms in the Ebbitt
House a few evenings ago to tell me
something about the presiding officer S
duties Mr.. Stevenson has made the
Ebbitt House his home since he came
to Washington He has a pleasant
suite of rooms on the third floor The
ie IA
room, for Mr.. Stevenson does not bring
his work down town, as do most of the
members of the Senate. This reception
room is square. The regulation hotel
center table is in the middle of the
room. A leather-bound blotting pad
laid across it has transformed it into a
desk. There is a monster glass ink
well on the pad and an upright wooden
case filled with official letter paper and
envelopes. There are a half dozen big
leather-coYered easy chairs in the
room, and with rocking chairs and
other chairs, there are accommodations
for quite a large delegation of Illinois
people if they should come to Washing
ton for the purpose OF doing honor to
the vice president. Against the wall of
the reception room is a sideboard. On
an easel Is large bust photograph of
Mr. Stevenson.
The vice-president hardly needs a
description. 1t is only necessary to
say that he looks exactly like his
newspaper pictures, except that there
is pleasant welcome in his greeting
which no photograph could picture
NO member Of that body whose s'cour-
tesy'' has become historic can excel in
gentleness and kindness of manner
the presiding officer of the Senate. Mr..
stevenson does not wish to be inter-
viewed, but he very kindly tells me
something of the routine of the presi-
dent of the Senate. Some of it is IA
miliar to me. But it has a new value
when it is told by the vice-president
himself.
The vice-president goes to the cap
itol about 10 o'clock each morning
If the Senate met at neon. he would
probably go up-a little later; but when
the Senate meets at IL o'clock. he
makes it a point to be in his office in
the Senate wing an hour before the
time Of assembling. Usually he takes
one of the little green cars which pass
the door of the Ebbitt house. Mr..
Morton rode to the capitol in his car
riage every day; but Mr.. Stevenson is
more democratic, and he probably en-
JOYS the trip more than Mr.. Morton
did, for he frequently meets members
of the Senate and other friends and
has an opportunity for a friendly chat
with them before the duties of the
day begin. When the vice-presiient
sets in the chair, he has his hands fun
for the remainder of the day.
IN his Office at the capitol, Mr.. Stew
enson goes over his mail He does
not attempt to attend to any business
at his hotel. and his private secretary
meets him at the Capitol, and together
they go over what mail has accumu-
lated Mr.. s uson receives some
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