Evening journal., 1915-09-22
New News Of Yesterday
When Arthur Presided
Over the Senate
n, HoIIs1e

f"whon General Arthur was in
augurated Vice President Of the
United States. March 4. 1881, he was
much better prepared for service in
the Senate Chamber as presiding Of
hcer than many persons thought pos
sible." said the late Colonel George
Hiss to me at time when the latter
was speaking of Arthur's difficult and
vet on the whole successful adminis-
ration as President.
After the Presidential election in
1880, General. Arthur devoted a great
ieal of time to the study OF parlia-
mentary rules, as he had a small di-
gest of the rulings in the Senate upon
parliamentary questions prepared.
He was not accustomed to parliamcn-
AIRY procedure and he felt, therefore,
hat he should thoroughly qualify
himself so that he could meet that re-
sponsibility.
In addition to that, General AT
thur went to Washington several days
before the Inauguration. He spent a
good deal Of time in a little room
which opened upon the press gallery
and from that convenient place watch
ed carefully the proceedings upon the
floor of the Senate He also made il
a point to get acquainted with those
of the Senators whom he did not al
ready know. He took an especial
liking TO Senator Teller of Colorado,
who gave him some valuable advice
and some information relating to the
personal characteristics of some of
the Senators.
when Arthur took the gavel of the
Nice-President he had only two pUr-
poses in mind. One was TO be alb
solutely impartial if it were necessary
for him to make a ruling, relying also
upon the parliamentary clerk, who
sat Just beneath the Vice-President g
desk. quietly to coach him in case he
we're in doubt The other purpose
be had in mind was purely political
The Senate at the time Arthur began
TO preside over that body as Vice
President was controlled by the
Democratic party. There was no
president pro TEN. In accordance
with a custom which had prevailed
the Senate did not elect a president
pro tenn unless the Vice-President va
Gated the chair. For instance. the
Vice President might call a Senator "a
the chair during his temporary ABB
sence. but if he were to be away sew
eral days he so notified the Senate
and then that body elected the presi.
dent pro tenn. Before the law wa'
changed-which was done during Ar
thurs administration-the presiden
pro tenn would have succeeded to the
Presidency in case both President anC
Vice-President died or resigned.
General Arthur felt that in view
of the fact that the Senate was Demo
cratic he should not vacate the Vice
Presidents chair excepting for few
moments for IL he did the Senate
would elect a Democratic presiden
pro tenn. and in the remote con
tingency of the death or resignation
of both President and Vice Presiden
the Democratic president pro ten
would have become President of thu
United States. While Arthur wa
Nice-President he did not leave III,
chair excepting for a few moments
He served in the ce-President'
chair during the special session o
the Senate in the spring Of 1881. II
September of that year. by reason o
the death of President Garfield. Ar
thur became President and had h
died between September l9 and mid
October there would have been n,
one to take executive charge OF tn
government.
Copyright. 1916 by Il. J. Edwards
All rights reserved.)