The Washington times., 1915-10-17
Vice President Merely
Hears Useless Oratory
Otherwise His Duties AS Engineer of the Senate Are
Rather Undetermined But Marshall Would
Not Refuse Another Term.
By THEODORE TTLLER.

who's the little man that Just sits
up there and listens all tho timeg'
asked a rural visitor in the public
galleries Of the Senate last session.
That's the Vice President" said
the wise lobbyist in the seat ad-
Joining.
"poesn> he ever make a specch?"
mot unless he's invited to a ban
Q,iet somewhere"
Does he ever voter"
Not unless it's a tie-which isn't
often"
What all does he dor
Nothing but preside and listen
but that's worth the money he gets
The conversation aforesaid Ats in
now that there is quite a to do In
the newspapers regarding the pros.
poets of Thomas Riley Marshall OF
Indiana. being the Wilson running
inLte in 1915. There are stories of @
political coolness between the Presi.
dent and the Vice President. There
aro also denials from the principals.
Punishment Or Honor?
Thai. however. bears only remotel,
upon 4 general discussion OF the Vic,
Pre:idency-which must be discussed
with every qusdrennial campaign
In considering the question why /.
A Vice President" the public nowaday,
turns to the Incidental case of Mr.. Mar
shall. The public thereupon divides int
two schools OF thought, asking. respec
lively:
"will Marshall be honored with sec
Ond term"
"Will Marshall be sentenced to foui
hn lin8 .,ff nj
the Senator"
II all depends upon the way one looks
at II. albeit Thomas Riley Marshall has
confided to- his friends from time tc
time that the Vice Presidency isn't quit,
the lively job It was press-ageHted &c
be. and grows irksome more or less.
The Constitution OF the United States
provides that The Vice President oi
the United States shall be the Preai
dent of the Senate. but shall have M
vote. unless they are equally divided" I"
Another article OF the Constitution
promises that the Vice President shal
become President In the event Of the
death. resignation. removal. or for th'
inability to discharge the duties of of
flee. of the President.
However. only five Vice Preside nti
have succeeded to the Presidency in thii
ample being Theodore Roosevelt. wht
was made Vice President to get hin
out Of politics"
Is Official Listener"
The Vice President OF the officia
listener" of the Senate. He hears NOR
useless oratory than any man in publi
life. He must exercise a patience tina
would make Job look like an under
study were that hard-luck individual
alive TODAY.
As presiding officer OF the Senate tn
life OF the Vice President is abou
as monotonous as that of = Jitney
driver with a nve-block route. The
Vice President does certain things a
certain times, and then listens fo
the remainder OF the day. He occu
pies a position OF honor hut insctivit?
He Is Eeir apparent to the Presidency
| with the chances a hundred to on
nell never become President either b.
| the law Of succession or the ballot
OF his fellow citizens.
! The Vice Pre- sident may have NOR
brains than any senator on the fooi
| but he can never prove II by simpl
tapping the desk occasionally with
! gavcl. II he has views he must saw
them for the stump or the hanquc
table: he cant participate In tn
| Senate debates nor can he even vot
except in the case Of deadlock.
A Senator arises and SAYS M
President" The Vice President, dul
exercising his functions as a presid
Ing officer. says. THE senator fror
ANYWHERE
Then the Senator may talk fourtee
hours. getting In $50. .no0 words to tn
Vice Presidents four. OCCASIONAL
some enc raises a point OF order, an
the President Of the Senate may de