davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-03-10

manufacturer of varnish. a Union veteran
who had four years service in the civil
war, former Governor of New Jersey
and an astute politician who served many
years as his partyS state chairman. He
received seventy-seven votes for the vice
presidential nomination four years ago.
Mr.. Hammond, known as President Taft'S
chum. and formerly featured as the
highest salaried man in the world is
Yale graduate, former expert of the
erstwhile consulting engineer for the
Guggenheims. for Barney Barnato. the
South African diamond king: for Cecil
Rhodes and for other large mining inter
ests in Africa and Mexico. At the time OF
the Jameson raid in the Transvaal he
was sentenced to death by Paul Kruger.
but later released on fine of $4,000.
He has been president of the National
League of Republican Clubs for number
of years, and spent considerable fortune
for hospitality while acting our special
ambassador to the British coronation
last spring. He was doomed for the
vice presidential nomination four years
ago. but withheld his name when party
eXpediency required nominee who would
help carry New York.
The next upon the catalogue, Senator
Cummins, is regarded as strong presi-
Dental timber by the "prosressives'' of
Iowa He is a native of Pennsylvania,
former carpenter and railway engineer.
corporation lawyer. state legislator ana
governor He was the executive OF Iowa
for three terms, and four years ago was
elected to the national Senate. where he
has been prominent in the 'insurgent'
group led by La Toilette. He has an
nounced himself as candidate for the
presidency.
The last republican possibility on the
list, the present Vice President. Mr..
Sherman, will be pressed forward again
by his party organzat ion in New York.
and, tits understood, he will be dsap-
pointed If not renominated.
And now let us take a peep at the
democrats listed as vice presidential pos
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-03-10

be deemed as better for the minority
solace to hail from section distant from
that contributing the presidential nomi-
nee. Similarly, as regards the democrats.
II Wilson heads the ticket. conserva-
tive democrat from the west will be
sought and so on. These combinations
failing, as they often do during the last
moments of a convention, then some opu-
lent captain of industry with a plethoric
barrel will be pressed into the service
OF evils in these processes, by no
means least is that imbedded in that of
awarding the vice presidency, as sop.
to the minority faction in a convention.
In the event of the death disability
OF President nominated by the majority
faction Of his party, it assures reversal
Of that majority's policy and the adop
tion of the minority's doctrines-in other
words, minority rule. And such was the
Johnson. both Of whom faced impeach-
ment.
The scarcity of presidential timber
available for the vice presidency is due
not only to the fact that the Office has
been degraded by the past standards of
most Of the nominees. but also to the fact
that in all of our Constitution tnkering
since the time of the fathers. We have
never sought to make our heir apparent 5
office more attractive to big men-save
by insignificant salary raises, now and
then. Before the ship of state was
launched James Monroe called the berth
an unnecessary Office" and Mason of
Virginia branded it with the same words
before the constitutional convention.
Indeed, the Office was not provided for at
all in the original draft OF the Constitu-
ton and the convention did not con-
slider it until it had discussed other
things for five months. A short-sighted
delegate who objected to Vice President
on the ground that he would be too init
mate with the President was reminded by
Gouverneur Morris that in such a case a
Vice President would be the first heir
apparent who ever loved his father"
Before he ever dreamed of filling the
vice presidency Theodore Roosevelt, in
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-03-10

faults. but compared with that in present
use 1t was the less of two evils. 1t sup
piled the country with Vice Presidents OF
presidential timber. Their consciousness
that they were, in fact, the second choice
of their partisans for the highest office
placed a premium upon their title and
rendered them proud of their ONCE. AS
would be said in the classics, they We're
near Presidents Competent under,
studies, they were, to the star, and
bright prospects they had OF having his
dressing room assigned to them at the
expiration of his contract. In those days
no hamfatter unknown to the aud1ence'
but possessed of pull with the manage
ment, Iurked in the wings. waiting to don
the sock and buskin doffed by disabled
leading man. Had any such outrage peen
attempted the intruder would have got.
ten the hook which instrument OF
popular disapproval was later 10 reach
out for Tyler and Johnson, understudies
selected by the more modern process
Vice Presidents in those ante-Jackso-
nian times did not awaken with the Difds
that they might sneak down, barefooted
and shivering. at dawn. to grab the morn
ing paper from the neWSboy and eagerly
scan the bulletins reporting the chiei
MAGISTRATES health Nor was their vul-
ture-gaze wont to stick upon the presi-
dental physiognomy and search II 1or
symptoms. Dedtn VI ulSdpii.'
their chief did not offer them their sole
chance Of succeeding him. Their undls-
puted status as second gentleman OF the
land gave them a far brighter prospect
of Shining into his boots. AS long as the
original scheme lasted the vice presidency
proved to be a vestibule to the presi-
Dental office except in the case of Burr
who had tied the presidential vote Win
Jefferson. thus proving that in the es-
TINA ton of his party he was then man
of full presidential fiber. Then the scheme
was altered somewhat by the twelfth
amendment to the Constitution. providing
that the electors should name their choice
for President and Vice President. But
even during the next generation and
until national conventions commenced to
nominate Vice Presidents these officials
were strong men who measured up to the
presidential standard.
But as soon as the party convention
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-03-10

business got to running at full blast an
entirely new process of manufacturing
vice presidential candidates was adopted.
And the product. with few exceptions, has
since been half-baked.
While going to press with the news OF
the nomination for second place the pa
pers have had to search their "morgues
hurriedly for biogra phical data identity
ing the man who may be the chief mag
istrate of the people before another ad-
ministration has rolled past. There has
been much thumbing Of Who's Who to
learn whether the man who soon may be
vetoing our laws and appointing our high
officials is black or white, married or
er or westerner: a precocious young cap
tain OF industry or tottering patriarch
in his dotage a manufacturer Of pretZels
the worshipful grand sovereign Of the
national brotherhood OF garbage collect
ors. Perhaps he has not been hOo-zooed
at all. in which case full particulars
must be awaited for a day or two. Like
jack in the box he thus bounces up
as the nations quadrennial surprise. He
is the afterthought of the conven-
ton, selected % because a man of great
wealth who will make a handsome con-
tribution to the party war chest; 60 as
a sOlace to the weaker faction of the
party; G) to carry doubtful state or
section. "a because he Is deemed a dan
gerous or troublesome rival Of the dom
tnant faction and must be ''shelved.'
The men most mentioned for the vice
presidency this year are:
REPUBLICANS.
Franklin Murphy, New Jersey.
John Hays Hammond, District Of Co
lumbia.
Albert B. Cummins, Iowa.
James s. Sherman, New York.
DEMOCRATS.
Isaac r. Sherwood, Ohio.
James A. O'Gorman, New York.
Eugene N. Foss, Massachusetts.
Oscar Underwood, Alabama.
OF these. Franklin Murphy is wealthy
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-03-10
GENERAL
lSAAc'SHEiRWOoD
@ .eOMoN sroM.

sibilities. Gen Sherwood of Ohio, as
chairman of the House committee on in
valid pensions, is the author of the dol
Iar-a-day pension bill'' now the subject
of endless discussion. Entering the civil
war as a private, he came out with the
brevet of brigadier general, and thirty
years ago was elected to Congress as "A
republican. After serving one term he
changed his politics and returned TO the
House five years ago as a reform demo-
crat." Meanwhile he had edited three
prominent Ohio journals. He is very
deaf and uses an ear trumpet.
The name of Senator O'GOrman has
been mentioned by Mr. Bryan as a prop
er running mate for his former ticket
partner Senator Kern OF Indiana, whom
he suggests as a presidential possibility.
Mr.. O'Gorran is of Irish descent on both
Sides is a Roman Catholic and a former
grand sachem of Tammany. He was a
justice of the New York supreme court
when elected to succeed Chauncey De-
pew in the Senate.
The other two democrats mentioned for
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-03-10

his American Ideals" uS9T, suggested
that the second gentleman of the realm
be given a seat in the cabinet, voice In
the debates OF the Senate and vote In
that body, not only In case OF tie, as
now but during ordinary proceedings. No
one has ever backed him up on the propo-
sition to break the states uniform bal
ance in the Senate by giving the Vice
Presidents state three votes, nor Is there
evidence that while President Mr.. Roose
Welt ever invited Mr.. Fairbanks to st AT
his cabinet board But this proposition to
put the Vice President In the abinet has
been since voiced by other public men.
including former Senator Beveridge OF
Indiana, who has suggested Furthermore.
that the Presidents running mate he
given the appointment of the Senate COM
mittees, and. thus. power superior TO
that formerly held by Speakers Of the
House.
The Vice President Is q piece OF 10
litical bric-a-bric. He has nothing TO do
but entertain complained Mr.. Bailey OF
Texas. a few years ago. in the Senate.
And those who saw Theodore Roosevelt
yawn for several weeks in the chair OF
the Senate's presiding officer appreciated
the sincerity of his complaint at the time
to Mrs. Bellamy Storer, that he was a
useless fifth wheel.
4
AS matter of fact the Vice President
has no powers beyond the exercise of A
vote upon the rare occasion of a tie the
automaton-like reference of bills to COM
mittees and the making of parliamentary
rulings, from which there is always an
appeal to the Senate itself He is paid
$4,000 year, or less than one-sixth OF
the Presidents salary, and not being sup
piled with an official residence he must
expend half of this or more for rental
Our grave error in failing to make the
second office Of government sufficiently
influential to attract men of full presi-
Dental caliber may be still better en-
phasized by few statistics CLEANED from
the past. During the eighty years that
vice presidential candidates have been
selected according to existing methods
five Presidents have died I'm Office
Vice President has thus. through
death, succeeded TO the highest. of
flee on an average OF once every
sixteen years. or every four terms. In
this time four Presidents have been shot
at such an attempt upon their lives &C.
curing once In twenty years, or in Ave
administrations, this estimate including
the almost forgotten incident. in 1899.
when Richard Lawrence, a house painter
shot at President Jackson in the Capitol.
Since the civil war one out OF less than
four OF our Presidents has been felled
by an assassin's bullet. And there is a
saw which sayeth that "a word to the
wise Is sufficient"
Copyright, 1912. by John EIfreth watkins.)
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-03-10

exclusively upon one mans taste, and
that man is Germany's kaiser This
principle has applied only during the
present reign. The first Wilhelm and his
predecessors left the theater entirely to
their 'intendants." Wilhelm Ill became
his own intendant. When his nominal
intendants. IIochberg. Max CRUDE, I.ud-
wig Barnay and Huelsen- Haeseler told
he made them submit go.
When Count Huelsen- Haeseler, the pres
ent able intendant, arrived from Wies-
baden in 1903, he told Kaiser Wilhelm
plainly that he must modernize the
theaters and authorize the production OF
new plays with modern tendencies. Will
helm II refused, and since then his
theaters have gone from bad to worse; so
that today il is good advertisement for
a young author to have his play rejected
by the royal theaters. whereas II 1t is ac-
cepted and produced he usually has trouble
in getting IL looked at by other managers.
Kaiser Wilhelm is dissatisfied. Ten
pounds OF Hohenzollernism, one pound OF
pathos, one of bathoS. ono of magnificent
commonplace and a ton Of eloquent pa
triotic rhodomontade is his recipe for a
good play.
There exist already few good Hohen-
zollern plays like KIeists Prince Fried
rich Won Homburg." and-on lower level
one or two good WiIdenbruch plays. But
the supply Is limited. and for good plays
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-03-10

lack the saving spur of competition.
whereas in competent hands a state
theater has advantages which no private
theater possesses. This is shown by the
extraordinary brilliancy and success OF
the Meiningen court theater.
The Meiningen theater is the creation
of the veteran Duke George III, aided by
his wife, formerly Ellen Franz. the act
ress, whom he married in 1873, and Great
ed Baroness Won Heldburg. The duke
has led the classical drama to- extraordi-
nary heights. His principles are perfect
staging the influencing of the eye AS
well as the ear. and the creation of
poetical colorng and atmosphere indie
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-03-10
FRH14KLN NEJRPHA


less as presidential possibilities. The "fav-
orite son" of the Massachusetts democ-
racy, Gov. Foss, began his career as a
commercial traveller, married his employ
er'S daughter, entered the firm, built up
a fortune in factories. elevated roads.
stock yards and banks. commenced
preaching tariff revision ten years ago;
came to the last Congress for a few
months and last year carried Massachu-
sets for the democrats by over 5000
plurality.
Should the vice presidency come to Mr..
Underwood of Alabama he would gain in
prestige. but lose vastly in power for he
today possesses more influence over ma
tional affairs than any other democrat of
the country. He is chairman of the COM
mittee On ways and means, which not
only has charge of all tariff revision, but
possesses the Speakers former power of
selecting all committees of the House Of
Representatives. He is a lawyer and has
He is the youngest Of the gentlemen men,
toned, being only forty-nine, while his
brother leader in Congress. Gen. Sher-
wood, is in his seventy-seventh year. All
of the others are in their fifties. except
Senator Cummins. who is sixty-two.
1t cannot be gainsaid that several of
these gentlemen, in the opinion of large
elements of their party. possess presiden-
tial timber. But under our existing sys-
TEN. the more fiber of this kind they pos
sess the less is the probability of their ac-
cepting the office. Nor will fiber be con-
sidered seriously by the convention lead
erS.
The selection will probably be dictated
by one of the following considera tons:
If Taft is nominated an "insurgent' like
Cummins will be wanted to placate the
minority Or. il Roosevelt be nominated,
a conservative, like Murphy, Hammond
or Sherman will be pressed forward to
keep up the same balance. And to main
tain the geographic equilibrium, 1t would
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-03-10

CINCE Present Methods of
0Selecting Vice Presidential
Nominees Were Adopted Few
Men Approaching Presiden-
tial Caliber Have Been Chosen
Yet Since This Scheme
Was Adopted Vice Presidents
Have Succeeded to Highest
Office Once in Four Terms
Second Place on Ticket Given
as Solace to Weaker Factions
of Conventions, to Garry
Doubtful States, Obtain Cam
paign Contributions or Shelve
Rivals-Men Thus Far Men
toned for Second Place This
Year-Some Are of Presi-
dental Fiber.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-03-10

marquee in which Car Nicholas sat-
staring at the premiere danseuse's gyra-
tons; and thereby nearly smothered
car, dancer and all AS Ver1gin had
obeyed orders. and from the military
point of view had performed a brilliant
feat. he could not be court-martialed.
He was left in command of his squad
ron for a year and then retired with
out pension.
The management of the Vienna court
theaters is still worse than that of the
Russian houses. The court opera reg
listers an annual loss of 100000. The
Austrian court stage, like the Prussian.
was for many years a citadel of reac-
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-03-10

Petersburgskaya Gazeta prints a cartoon
on this subject headed After the Ameri-
can Tour" 1t shows Pavlova arriving
at the Marya Theater pay box and hold
ing out an enormous empty sack.
s'I beg your pardon. madam" says the
surprised cashier. Have you brought
that sack for a load of hay?''
Not likely says the imperturbable
Pavlova. I've brought it for my salary"
When Kyasht returned to ST. Peters
burg for a few days she demanded
salary of $4,000 a year. People we're
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-03-10

ton in art-which meant no art at all.
Today 1t is free. Kaiser Franz josef is
an Indifferent judge of things theatrical.
His favorite play is Grillparzer's 'Habs
burg Family Quarrel" the hero of
which is the Hamletlike Josef IL.
kaiser of the holy Roman empire. But
Franz Josef has no objections to Habs
burgs being treated as mortal men.
People cite the msmanagement. heavy
deficits and artistic infertility of Europes
state theaters as an argument against
royal or state patronage of the stage. but
the truth is that in bad hands state thea
tiers are worse than private, since they
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-03-10

a bit surprised, but the fascinating
Lydia replied with the remark of War
rem Hastings when he helped himself to
the treasures of India: Il am surprised
at my own moderation"
Nicholas IL has a passion for the
ballet. A whole army of ballet dane
ers is imported annually from ST.
to Krasnoe Selo for the
army maneuvers. where the foreign
military attaches do not know which
to admire most, the ballerinas' pretty
faces or the imperial spirit which
brings them to a field of serious war
training Some suspect that the ballet
is more important than the battalions.
When in 1907 Pavlova danced before
the car, a certain Col. Verigin led his
cavalry squadron full tilt into the
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-03-10
BY JOHN ELFRETH WATKINS.

by two
great political par
ties, a dozen feet,
or Whereabouts, Of
good vice presi-
Dental timber. A
scant six feet
may suffice either
party, or a few
inches over the
two-yard IN a r k
will do, for good
measure. Quality,
rather than VOL
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-03-10

ume. is the chief desideratum, and fiber
should test up to the full standard for
presidential material.
Citizen and factor in this widely her
aided contest for the honor of ruling over
us. why is your interest in presidential
possibilities exceeded only by your
apathy regarding possible fifth wheels to
the coach Of state? Why are you salts
fed to read a hundred columns Of presi-
Dental representation to one stick OF
vice presidential forecast: Amidst all of
this bombilation about preference pri-
maries and instructed delegations have
you heard one measly squeak anent pop
ular choice for the exalted and al-im-
portant Office Of heir apparent of your
realm? Because you would have a right
arm that is sinewy and strong-is that
q reason for Indifference that your left
arm lacks blood and nerve?
Ask any politician-whether of the pea
nut or the real statesman brand-his
preference for the head of the party tick
ct and he is as responsive as a hair
trigger. Question him as to his choice
for second place and his tongue cleaves
to the roof of his mouth. while his hand
takes with vigor, to head-scra .ching.
The sad truth Is that the fathers of the
republic invented far better scheme for
choosing Vice Presidents than we have
now-than We have had, since we tried to
improve this cog of our election machin-
cry; and such efficient fifth wheels as we
have since dashed behind the coach of
state have been wrought more by good
luck than by good management.
Our early Vice Presidents were chosen
in this wise: Each member of the "elec-
toraI college" cast two ballots. each for
a separate member of his party. When
the final choice was made he having the
highest majority of votes was proclaimed
as President while he receiving the Sec
ond highest majority was proclaimed as
Vice President. This old scheme had it's
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-03-10

humanity IN spirit as in physique Dut VI
late the fount of such apotheosizinG plays
has run dry and the kaiser swears that
sooner than tolerate stage HohenZollerns
with inches and wisdom like those of
ordinary mortals he will tolerate none at
all.
Thereby he has set Germans asking
whether the system of state, court or
royal theaters, run at enormous cost to
the taxpayer, is really worth the money.
How is it, they ask. that Englishmen and
Americans sigh for the splendors of
state-supported stage. while Germans
who have it call II nuisance and yearn
for the free theatrical competition Of
America and England? The explanation
is that during the present reign Prus-
Aa's state theaters have fallen into
Srievous decay. have mostly ceased to
serve true art and have learned only to
serve the kaiser. who, when he celebrated
his tenth accession anniversary in 1898
made a speech to the royal theater staff
in which he said: 1.-THE stage is one Of
my weapons. He meant that ne was
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-03-10

at the ancestral shrine. Hence the abso-
lutte forbidding OF Hohenzollern pieces in
future prohibition which has much an
noyed several mediocre authors who have
lately been examining up history with the
intention of writing laudatOry plays
about the House of Brandenburg.
The decline of the Prussian royal the
alter thus is mainly due to Kaiser Will
helm himself. But apart from that the
management is attacked. The Berlin
opera, the Berlin Royal Theater and the
two royal theaters at Hanover and Wies-
baden swallow about $500 600 a year
more than they take in in receipts. When
two years ago Kaiser Wilhelm asked
the landtag to raise his civil list from
s.. 100. 600 to 81, 5OO. 600, one of his pleas
was that his theaters cost him annually
more and more. The theaters are al
ways full, and their prices are higher
than those Of Munich and Dresden, where
the productions are infinitely better, yet
there IL a heavy loss. The management
IL further attacked for its attitude to ma
tive talent.
Although the royal theater persists in
producing worthless patriotic pieces,
the royal opera is thronged with foreign
ers, including Americans like Geraldine
Farrar and Putnam Griswold, and, lsav-
ing Wagner aside. two-thirds of the
operas produced are by foreign COM
poserv.
II the kaiser condescended to study for
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-03-10

pendently of mechanical aids. He en-
forces discipline with a Prussian drill
sergeant's rigor. tolerates no starring and
no virtuosity, designs his own scenes
and costumes, and spends vast sums on
preparation of every play AS a result OF
unremitting labor and tremendous outlay,
he evolved the finest stock company in
Europe. For sixteen years 1t toured Aus
tria, Russia, England. Sweden, and
Europe's minor states. under the manage
ment OF Herr Kroenegk. and today
Meiningon is looked up to by Germans as
the court stage which best OF all shows
what may be done when theaters are
taken i'm hand by a progressive ruler who
has time and ability to concentrate on
them alone
Copyright. 1912 By Curtis Brownl