Evening star., 1917-03-05
RANKS WITH THEFEW
TOBE TWICE CHOSEN
Vice President Marshall Again
to Rule Over the United
States Senate.
HIS FAIRNESS CONCEDED

Comparatively few men have beer
twice chosen President of the United
States. A still smaller number have
been twice chosen Vice President. Thi:
latter honor has fallen to Thomas R
Marshall of Indiana. and for the mex,
four years he IL destined to preside
over the Senate of the United States
to call that body to order. to preserve
order and to pass upon all parliamen-
tary questions that may arise. On rare
occasions the Vice President may per-
form an Affirmative action in the SEN
In case the vote on a particular ques-
tion is a tie. the Vice President then Is
called upon to cast deciding vote.
Not since 1892. when John C. Calhoun
went out Of office. had Vice President
Of the United States been reelected. un-
I'll that honor was accorded Mr.. Mar
shall. Calhoun served two terms un-
der Andrew jackson. John Adams was
Vice President during both OF George
Wsshing gton's terms George Clinton
was elected Vice President in 1901. serv-
Ing with Thomas Jefferson. and again
in 1908, the ticket with Madison.
Daniel D. Tompkins was elected with
James Monroe in 1916 and was re-elec-
tea, Win Monroe. IN lS2U.
His Fairness Unquestioned.
Vice President Marshall. during his
four years service. has presided ably
and impartially over the Senate. in the
opinion Of the republican senators as
we'll as democrats. Incidentally he has
spent many long hours listening to
debate on every question Imaginable
from the creation of the world down to
the latest thing in aviation and wire
less telegraphy. 1t is his privilge to es-
cape from the chair. however. when
he is weary. by calling one Of the SEN
ators to preside temporarily.
In addition to presiding over the Sen
ate. the Vice President is the honorary
representative of the government at many
official and social functions In fact he
sometimes acts as buffer for the
President on occasions and by his pres
ence allows the chief executive to escape
One of the Vice Presidents Duties.
Another job OF the Vice President
is that of chancellor of the Smithsonian
Institution. In this capacity the Vice
President presides over the meetings of
the board of regents of that institution
once a month.
The Vice President is admittedly
American government. He is supposed
to be in training to step into the shoes
OF the President should anything hap
pen to that official He has no hand.
however, in the actual running of the
government. and is very likely less in
formed in regard to the administration
than are the cabinet officers and some
of the other high officials.
$4,000 His sole perquisties are an
automobile. 81 900 a year to pay for the
services Of chauffeur and room in
the Senate wing of the Capitol and two
receives no mileage. although the
Speaker of the House does. He has no
free seeds to dispense to his con-
stituents He has no allowance for
rent or for servants. The President. on
the other hand. has, in addition to his
SALARY of $4,000 a year. an allowance
of $4,000 for travelling expenses. lives
housekeeping allowance. servants. sta
BILE and greenhouses. not to mention a
navy vessel which he may use as his
yacht.
a salary of $4,000 a year. telegraph
operator and page: The telegraph
operator is a relic of the days when
much use was made OF governmental
telegraph system which ran through. sh
various departments. Now the tele-
phone has taken it's place. But GUS
toms die hard in and about the Sem
ate. and the Vice President is still pro
vided with his telegraph operator.
though If he gets one messaRe day
the operator may be said to have had
a heavy day"
Easy Man to Approach.
Vice President Marshall is demo-
cratic official. He does not believe in
secluding himself and 1t is easy to
see him and to talk with him when
he is at the Capitol and in one or the
other of his Offices. He lets the door
of his room in the Senate wing of the
Capitol stand wide open practically on
all oocas sions and visitors enter to see
him almost at will.
When Col. Roosevelt was Vice Presi-
dent he undertook to keep the door of
his room in the Capitol closed and to
station colored messenger outside the
door. This did not meet the approval
been accustomed to such exclusiveness,
and later he gave it up.
In the Vice Presidents room are
many interesting objects. On the east
Washington. said to be the most strik-
ing portrait of George Washington.
said to be the most striking likeness
ever made of the first President.
v
Forge as a miniature and later copied
II on canvas. where 1t is now preserved.
served.
An old mirror. purchased in Europe
by John Adams in the early days of
the republic and placed in the Vice
Presidents room, still hangs there.
When, later, the bill for this mirror
was presented to the Senate there was
a long and heated discussion over it,
and much criticism of government ex-
travagance.
Capitol Dome Beacon to Be Lighted.
The beacon in the dome of the Capt.
tol is to add its rays to the illumina-
tion of the city at night during inau-
guration period. 1t was decided to
keep burning the light, which ordi-
narily is used to indicate night ses-
sion of Congress. when IT was found
that the elimination of the beacon
would leave a dark spot in the other
wise brilliant dome standing out in re-
lief against the night sky.
WHERE PRESIDENTS HAVE