Montpelier examiner., 1912-05-10

tiop can be forced. for neither side to
the controversy seems to be willing to
yield
His Vote Might Be Needed.
AS result OF this trouble the vice
president finds 1t difficult to get away
from Washington The Republican
majority in the senate is small and
such as it is. it is divided against it,
self and so the conservative Republi-
cans object TO having Mr. Sherman
away when anything OF importance Is
going to come to vote for fear that
his vote might be necessary To carry
the day for them in case there were a
tie, for the vice president of the
United States has no voice in the gov
ernment except when 1t is used to say
yea or nay on some question on which
the vote in the upper house is equal
between the two sides
Mr. Sherman did go away for few
days recently and a Democratic sena-
tor was appointed president pro TEN,
but the Republicans took good care
that during the time of leave nothing
should come to a vote which was of
the least legislative Importance. Mr..
Sherman sits in the chair now almost
with the continuous regularity" with
which Mr. Fairbanks sat in It, The
former vice president was away from
his duties in the senate on only two
occasions during the four years of his
incumbency
Jokes of the Senators.
The senate of the United States
is reported generally as the staidest
kind of body. 1t is seldom that
any jokes are cracked on tie floor
of the upper house. but occasion
ally there is an approach to hu-
NOR, or an attempt at humor on the
part of some senator In a speech, and
then there are likely to be smiles, but
there is never anything approaching
even the giggle which precedes laugh
ter.
In the quiet of their committee
rooms senators occasionally tell sto-
ries and good many of them have to
do with men whom they have known
in public life but who are dead and
gone. Other stories have TO do with
their experiences as senators In their
dealings with their constituents, espe-
cially such dealings as are had through
correspondence.
Senators and representatives both
are willing lot. but occasionally there
is limit A senator from Michigan
told some of his committee room com.
rades the other day that he had re-
ceived letter which he thought ap
preached the extreme of assurance.
This letter, he said, was from a clerk
In one Of the departments and it yir.
tually ordered the senator--the order
being based on the ground that the
man who issued 1t hailed from the
state OF Michigan-to call upon the
superintendent of the division in which
the letter writer was a clerk and tell
him to have the clerks desk moved so
that he could spend the time when he
was not at work in looking out OF the
window. The senator vouched for the
truthfulness of this story.
PIatt's Modesty Shocked.
The other day member of the up
per house told story of Senator For
Connecticut who died some years ago.
MIR. Plat was known as the most mod
est man who ever had a seat In con-
gress. He was modest to the shrink
ing point. The story ran like this
When Senator Foraker was making
his speech against the proposal tu ad-
init Arizona and New Mexico as one
state he quoted from arguments made
by Senator Platt who years ago ON the
floor of the senate declared that Da-
kota was too large to be admitted as
one commonwealth Snd that 1t should
be split In twain. The Ohio senator
started in thus: The senior senator
from Connecticut. Mr.. Platt =
AT this instant the main door of
the senate chamber opened and Seua-
tor Platt appeared and started slowly
down the center aisle. He had not
heard his name as it fell from the lius
of Senator Foraker. Senator Foraker
continued: One of the most viriIe-
minded. one of the Gblest senators who
ever held membership in this body.
Senator Platt had advanced ten
feet Every eye was upon him Sen
ator Foraker continued: "A man
known to the country for his distin-
suished seryices-a man known for the
fine quality of his mind
Senator Plat was now within ten
feet OF the front row of senatorial
desks. The eyes were still upon him,
and in them and below them was ST.
lent laughter
Senator Foraker went on: "A man
whose opinion upon questions OF mo-
nent carries weight always and conyic-
ton nearly always. | 60 not astray
when | seek the words of the eminent
senior senator from Connecticut -
Senator Plat had been listening
without suspicion. His name heard.
he fairly folded his towering form, fell
into seat and there sat shIvering
rom the shock to his Connecticut mod.