davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1917-03-04

votes of the electors shall have been
given"
No cognizance was here taken of the
fact that March of the inaugural year
must. about two or three times a CEN
tury, fall on a Sunday. Inasmuch as a
Presidents term cannot commence un-
til he has been duly aualified"-which
means taking the oath of office-and no
President-elect In the past has seen fit
to take this oath Sunday-the fact re-
mains that there have been three in
stances in our history during which
no duly elected President has served.
Since the decision of Chief Justice
Marshall of February 20. 1921, it has
been universally held that the COM
mencement of the term of service of the
President is the day and hour upon
which the oath of office is administered,
although the annals of the Treasury
Department contain no records of the
deduction of one days salary from that
of President Monroe. President Taylor
or President Hayes.
At the expiration of the first term
Of President Monroe and Vice President
Tompkins in 1921. John Gaillard OF
South Carolina was president pro tenn
pore of the Sixteenth Congress- and was
duly qualified to have been the acting
President of the United States" from
noon on March 4-the expiration of
President Monroe's first term-until
about l o'clock the next day. when Mr..
Monroe commenced his second term.
Senator Gaillard'S term did not expire
with the end of the Sixteenth Congress.
and. at that time, the office of preSi-
dent pro tempore was not construed as
extending within "the pleasure of the
Senate" The records of Congress show
that Senator Gaillard's formal re-elec-
ton as president pro tempore of the
Seventeenth Congress did not take place
until February 90. 1922. thus giving
proof of his ability to serve as "Presi-
dent for a day" The Importance of this
distinction will be seen in connection
with the other two men to whom some
histories give credit for the same honor.
Thomas II. Benton, the diStin-
guished senator from Missouri. in his
book entitled Thirty Years View.
published in 1856. says of John Gail
lard:
He was a senator from South Caro-
lima, and had been continually from
the year 1904. He was five times elect
ed to the Senate-the first time for an
Evening star., 1917-03-04
A Good Cure.

A CHICAGO specialist. discussing an
~ efflcacious drink cure said:
The patient is given drink in his
coffee. his water and his tea. His
bread is moistened with drink and his
meat is soaked in it. This soon radi-
cally cures him. 1t works like my
hypochondriac case. you know.
Il once had a hypochondriac patient.
Sometimes he'd think himself a teapot.
Again he would be a kettle. or his legs
would be turning into glass. He was.
altogether. trying subject to deal
with, but one morning the limit was
reached. for when l asked him how
he felt he said. gruffly:
How do l feel? Why. don't feel
at all. I'm dead. 1 have been dead for
several hours. How can a dead man
feel?'
Il determined for once to humor
him. SO 1 said:
Yes. you are dead, right enough.
Come upstairs. Well send for tho
undertaken
He consented to this. though with
a rathe" uneasy look. and got into bed
and stretched himself out
Then. two three at time, his
best and oldest friends were admitted.
These friends, having been well
coached. gazed at the corpse and
shook their heads sadly.
"'Ah.' one would say, so he is dead
never lived
He must have died hard another
would murmur. They say the wicked
die hard always
"A third friend exclaimed: He cheat
ed me once out of $500. I lent the
money to him without security, and he
pretended he had never received it.
AT this the hypochondriac sat up.
"'You lie. George" he said. bitterly.
But | pushed him back. whispering
to him to remember he was dead, and
he subsided again.
"But when an old and trusted serv-
ant said of him. in a loud voice: Well.
the old curmudgeon is gone. and l am
glad OF it" the hypochondriac could
restrain himself no longer. He 1eaped
out of bed and seized the servant by
the throat.
You scoundrel.' he exclaimed.
L
But a great shout of laughter went
up: the patient seemed for the first
time to realize his folly; he turned and
went out for a walk. and never again
did he permit his hypochondria to
make a fool of him.
Evening star., 1917-03-04

checking and storing the guests wraps
was poor. l was told that some guests
actually waited until o'clock In the
morning for their wraps, others broke
through the barriers and took what
they could find and some less fortu-
nate, went home without wraps. The
venerable Horace Greeley, white-haired
and specialized, lost his white overcoat
and, although he tried as best he could
to charm it back by magic of strange
and horrible words, he never saw the
coat again. I am glad l escaped the
horror of that night, for a horror it
was to many at hinly clad woman. AS
for myself. / rode back to the 1 street
home and went peacefully to sleep.
*,s
For me. four happy years elapsed
between the first Inauguration of Gen.
Grant and the beginning of his second
term. In that time, if l may be trite,
many changes occurred l was four
years older in social and political ex-
perience. 1 had discovered that his
tory in the making is often forcibly
urged along the pathway of time. My
advanced by leaps and bounds. for my
make-believe friends as well as my
true friends were legion.
Il knew every one of prominence in
who aroused my interest. Men and
women are as books. Some have taw-
dry bindings, some crude bindings, but,
often as not. such human books are
filled with the wisdom of a Solomon.
And some are beautiful to gaze upon
from the outside. but when opened are
found. like Elbert Hubbard's essay on
silence. only blank pages within.
THE morning of the 4th of March.
1873. was more inclement than the day
Of the preceding inauguration. From
my apartment in the old Arlington
Hotel, looked out upon dreary view.
Sleet and snow. fierce. bitter winds. and
the thermometer was several degrees
below zero. I felt like going back to
bed and staying there. However, 1
called my husband. who looked out
with no less repugnance upon the
scene. for We had but lately come from
our warm. sunny home in New Orleans.
For all that. we breakfasted. and.
wrapped up snug and warm, drove to
the Capitol. where We were shown
seats similar to those We had occu-
pied four years before in the Senate
gallery. On this day my interest was
not SO centered upon the few as it
Evening star., 1917-03-04

30 oHEN President Wilson. ac-
NAU cording to plans laid imme-
WW diately after the breaking off
" " of diplomatic relations with
Germany. decided to take the oath of
office as President of the United States
at noon today in the privacy of the
Robert Lansing. Secretary of State.
from going down in history as the Sec
ond President for a day
Today is the fourth time in the 141
years since the United States became a
separate nation that March 4. "inaugu-
ration day." has fallen upon a Sunday.
There is story to the effect that this
date was originally chosen as the COM
mencement of the Presidents term be-
cause Congress figured 1t up and found
that the 4th of March was the one day
of the year which. quadrennia1ly. would
fall less frequently on Sunday.
This is the first time in the past forty
years that Sunday and inauguration
day have been coincident. and IT is like
wise the first opportunity presented for
functions of the presidency-provided
freSluent w liSOH Hdu ilOl OtCiucu tudl
II was wise to enter upon his second
term Immediately, instead of waiting
twenty-four hours until he was able
to take his oath publicly. thus adding
another precedent to the large number
which he has already shattered-for
history records no previous instance
where any President has ever taken
his oath of office on Sunday.
In 1877. when President Hayes COM
menced his administration, March 4 was
q Sunday, and there were many rumors
rife that the President-elect had been
privately inducted into office on this
day. These reports. however, were
afterward denied by official statements
from the White House. which stated
that President Hayes subscribed to
the terms of the oath for the first and
only time at the public ceremonies on
March o.
In 1921 and in 1s4e. the other two in
stances when Sunday and March CO.
incided, no attempt was made by Presi-
dent Monroe or President-elect Taylor
To take their oaths until the following
day. In 1921 John Gaillard. president
pro tempore of the Senate. had the dis
tinction of being President for day
Evening star., 1917-03-04

unexpired term-and died in the course
of a term. So that the years for which
he had been elected were nearly thirty.
He was nine times elected president of
the Senate pro tempore. and presided
for fourteen years over the delibera-
tions of that body, the deaths of two
Vice Presidents during that time
Messrs. Clinton and Gerry-and the
much absence of another Gov. Tomp-
kins) making long continued vacan-
cies in the presidential chair which he
was called to fill. So many elections
and such long continued service. ter
minated at last only by death. be-
speaks an eminent fitness. both for the
place of senator and that of the pre-
siding officer. In the language of Mr.
Macon. he seemed born to that station.
"Urbane In his manners. amiable in
temper. scrupulously impartial, atten-
tive to his duties. exemplary patience.
perfect knowledge of the rules. quick
and clear discernment. uniting absolute
firmness of purpose with the gentlest
of manners. setting young senator's
right with delicacy and amenity
Evening star., 1917-03-04

standing that the minds Of the people
there are fixed on the great war.
Little has been heard on the outside
about the munitions which have been
embarked at Halifax, but they have
been the main cause of the unusual
prosperity. Little also has been heard
about the presence of the British north
Atlantic squadron which patrols the
whole Atlantic coast as far south as
Norfolk. So long as the British war;
ships keep outside the three-mile limit
that is their own business. and their
movements are of no official concern to
the United States.
The fleet has not been very successful
in capturing German raiders or pre-
venting the Deutschland from getting
in and out of American waters, but the
difficulties have been enormous. In
conveying British commerce and in act
ing as sea scouts. there is little question
as to the effectiveness of the warships
whose station is Halifax.
Early in the war the possibility of
German submarines getting at the ship
ping of Halifax was discussed as an
academic proposition. When the sub
marines actually appeared in the wa
ters of the United States it ceased to be
an academic proposition and became
probability. The Halifax harbor is so
submarine which got in there would
never got out. yet there was always the
daring Of the Germans and their readi-
ness to take big risks. Since there have
been no reports Of submarine activity
in the vicinity of Halifax. it may be as
sumed that the protective measures of
the British north Atlantic squadron
have been effective.
While Halifax still glows with the ex-
pectation of increased Importance dur
ing the remaining period of the war.
and even looks forward to some diver
sion of commerce from the United
States, it cannot be said that the atti-
tude Of the British government encour-
ages its expectation OF becoming an
other Kirkwall. or of supplementing
Kirkwall The government has indi-
Gated a Willingness to have cargoes of
neutrals examined at Halifax. but has
taken no radical measures to cause
neutral vessels to put In there In pref
erence to Kirkwall.
Lord Robert Cecil. in explaining the
situation. took conservative stand. 1t
is possible that questions or policy as
related to Canadian internal affairs
marked out. The imperial government
does not care at this time to chill the
loyalty OF any section of Canada. and
it has to keep in mind that there are
other ports which are competitors, II
not actual rivals, Of Halifax.
st. Johns, in New Brunswick. is one of
these: another Is Sydney, on Cape Bre-
ton, which is part OF Nova Scotia itself.
While utilizing to the fullest Hall
fax's advantages as a port for mill
tary purposes, the imperial government
would not care to do this to the perma-
nent disadvantage of either of the other
ports.
The Dominion government itself has
experienced the Inconvenience of this
rivalry between Halifax and her neigh
bors 1t has entered into the transcon-
tinental railway project and at various
times has become a live political Ques-
Evening star., 1917-03-04
On the Run.

TIT AMILTON FYFE. an English corre-
spondent who retreated with the Ru-
manian army. wrote recently to a Chi
cago editor:
'Retreating. as / did. some forty-seven
miles day on foot, did not succeed I'm
writing the descriptive articles I had in
tended. l made. however. a few running
notes"
Evening star., 1917-03-04

which spared the confusion of a mis-
disappearing order. not by the
authority of~-the rules, but by the
gravest of department: such were the
qualifications which commended him to
the presidency Of the Senate and which
facilitated the transaction Of business
while preserving the decorum of that
body.
There was not an instance OF dis
order or disagreeable scene in the
chamber during his long-continued
presidency. He classed democratically
in politics. but was as much the favor
ite of one side of the house al the other,
and that in the high party times of the
war with Great Britain. which so much
eXasperated party spirit
Mr.. Gaillard was. as his name will
Indicate of French descent, having is
sued from the Huguenot families, of
which the bigotry of Louis XIV. DOM
mated by old woman, deprived
France for the benefit of other coun-
tries.''
In 1s49, the United States experienced
a most peculiar technical situation. In
that year March again fell on SUM-
day. which would have appeared to have
made David r. Atchison. senator from
Missouri. and president pro tempore Of
of the Thirtieth Congress. President
for day." an honor which the Bio
GrapnlCaI congressional DlCtlOndTy anu
Lambs Biographical Dictionary accord
him.
But the records of Congress show that
Senator Atchison's term of Office as
senator expired with the Thirtieth
Congress, March 3. 1S49. and that the
oath of office was not again admins
tered to him until the opening day of
the extraordinary session Of the Thirty
first Congress on March 5. 1s49: Not
having taken new oath of office as
senator or as President pro tempore he
was under the same disability as Presi-
dent-elect Taylor, who had not taken
the oath on March 4.
To make the status of Mr.. Atchison
more clear. the journal shows that the
Senate. on March 3. 1s4s. rendered the
senator from Missouri a vote of thanks
for the performance of the duties of
President pro tempore. Another con-
elusive fact is that, while Mr.. Atchison
was in the city and present in the Sem
ate chamber on March 5. ls4s. the SEN
ate was called to order by the secre-
tary. which would not have been the
case had the Senate regarded Mr.. At
Gibson as its President pro tempore.
Immediately thereafter. by unanimous
consent. the oath of office was admins
Evening star., 1917-03-04
A Word to Girls.

MARY P1cKFoRD was the guest Of
AV1 honor at young girls tea In Los
Angeles.
Girls" Miss Pickford said. don't
marry man with a bad reputation.
Wrinkling her fair brow in an earnest
frown, she added:
If you've got to stand up for man
before marriage, you'll have TO SIT up
for him afterward."
Evening star., 1917-03-04

the only instance of this nature in
our history-and in 1S49 the country
was without a President for nearly
twenty-four hours, as it was again in
1877, at the conclusion of President
Grants term.
Prior to the approval of the act of
January 1s, 1886, fixing the line of sue
cession to the presidential office, the
responsibilities of the chief executive
fell. lin case of the removal. death. res
ignation or inability of both the Presi-
dent and the Vice President of the
United States" upon the president pro
tempore of the Senate. In case there
was no president pro tempore of the
Senate, then the Speaker of the House
of Representatives. for the time be-
ing" was to act is President. This line
of succession was provided for in sec
tion of the act of March l, 1892. which
also stated that "the term of four
years. for which a President and Vice
President shall be elected, shall in all
cases commence on the Fourth of March
next succeeding the day on which the
Evening star., 1917-03-04


day.
tered to Mr.. Atchison as senator by Mr..
Benton and then the Senate formally
chose Senator Atchison to be it's Presi-
dent pro tempore. From these records
it is clearly apparent that Mr.. Atchison
was not even a qualified senator on
March 4. 1S49. and therefore could not
have acted as President of the United
States under the act of March l. 1892
1t is also clearly apparent that. for
nearly twenty-four hours, in 1s4S there
was no legally qualified person to per-
form the services of President of the
United States. 1t Is a matter of history
that President-elect Taylor did not ar
rive in Washington until the morning
Of March S. but fortunately nothing
happened to call for the speedy action
of a chief executive.
But the most peculiar incident con-
nected with the whole affair was that
Millard Fillmore was sworn in as Vice
President in the Senate chamber at IL
o'clock on the morning of March 5.
Following this, the usual Inauguration
Evening star., 1917-03-04

ceremonies took place on the eastern
portico of the Capitol, when. after de-
livering his inaugural address, the oath
of Office was administered to Presi
dent-e1ect Taylor by Chief Justice Ia
ney. This occurred about l o'clock on
the afternoon of March 5.
Therefore. from noon on Sunday.
March 4. 1s49. until II o'clock on the
morning of the following day-or about
twenty three hours-the United States
was without a legally qualified head.
Then for two hours Millard Fillmore
was the real President, until Zach
airy Taylor took up the reins OF ONCE.
Thus, while John Gaillard was "Presi-
dent for a day" Millard Fillmore has
the distinction of having been, at this
time, president for two hours"
In 1877. when the 4th of March again
fell on Sunday, almost exactly the
same state of affairs existed as in the
case of Mr.. Atchison. Thomas White
Ferry, senator from Michigan. had been
President pro tempore of the Senate.
His term ended March 3. 1877, and he
had been reelected for the term of six
years, commencing March 4. 1877. On
March the Senate rendered Mr.. Ferry
a vote of thanks for the dignified, able
and impartial manner" in which he had
presided over its deliberations and MIR.
Ferry responded at some length and
then adjourned the session, sine die.
Mr.. Ferry was present when the ex-
traordinary session of Congress. called
White House. convened on March D.
The Senate. upon this occasion. was
also called to order by the secretary
and the oath of Office was administered
to Mr.. Ferry by Senator Howe. Imme-
diately afterward Senator Ferry was
chosen President pro tempore of the
Senate.
Under the act of 1892, therefore. had
Mr. Ferry's term not ended with that Of
President Grant, he would have shared
with Senator Gaillard the distinction Of
having been president for a day." but.
as it was, the United States was again
without a head for twentyfour hours
This condition OF affairs was brought to
the attention of Congress, which. on
January 10, 1886, did away with all pos
sibility of such occurrences in the fu-
ture by passing an act which provided
That in case of removal. death, resig-
nation or inability of both the PresI-
dent and the Vice President of the
United States, the Secretary of State,
Evening star., 1917-03-04
fax and Her Expectations AS Imperial Seaport
BY CHARLES M. PEPPER.

g 0ALIFAN as a port of call Tor
IL neutral commerce during war
IT times draws attention to this
x 4 Canadian seaport and the am
Evening star., 1917-03-04

after the ceremonies at the Capitol
the procession, with the President and
Senator Craigin in an open carriage
~ the head. moved toward the White
House. Although it had been freshly
brushed. Pennsylvania avenue was not
the smooth, clean street 1t is today
and our carriage swayed and rocked
Evening star., 1917-03-04

00 0HEN President Wilson. ac-
NAX cording to plans laid imme-
WW diately after the breaking of
of diplomatic relations with
Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1917-10-24
The "cat Squadron"

Great Britain was the first naval
power to build the battle-cruiser. Close
on her heels came Germany, Russia
and Japan; but all others, including
the United States, have no battle
cruisers in their line of battle. 1t was
In 1907 when the Indomitable. the first
one, was begun. One year later she
crossed the Atlantic at a speed of
little more than IS miles an hour. The
Inflexible and Invincible followed. and.
when the European war came, Great
Britain had a squadron that proved
of immense worth to her. In the Jut-
land battle, however, three of the Brit
lsh battle cruisers were sunk, shells
penetrating their armor and explod-
ing their magazines or boilers. The
Rrmor of a superdreadnaught would
most probably have proved too strong
for the shells that destroyed these bat
tie cruisers. The famous Cat Squad
ron," so called because 1t included the
Lion and Tiger, is today the last word
IN the battle cruiser; but in a few
years the American battle cruisers
that are now being built will far out
strip the "cats" in every feature
Frank E. Evans, in st. Nicholas Maya.
zine,
Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1917-10-24
Don't Neglect Kidneys
Swamp Root. DR.. Kilmer's PreScrip-
ton, 0vercOmeS Kidney Trouble

It is now conceded by physicians that
the kidneys should have more attention
as they control the other organs to re-
markable degree and do a tremendous
amount of work in removing the poisons
and waste matter from the system by
hltering the blood.
The kidneys should receive some as
sistance when needed We take less ex-
ercise, drink less 'rater and often eat
more rich, heavy food, thereby forcing
the kidneys to do more work than nature
intended. Evidence of kidney trouble,
such as lame back, annoying bladder
troubles, smarting or burning, brick
dust or sediment, salow complexion,
rheumatism, maybe weak or irregular
heart action, warns you that your kid
neys require help Immediately to avoid
more serious trouble.
An ideal herbal compound that has had
most remarkable success as a kidney and
bladder remedy is DIR. Kilnler's Swamp
Root. There is nothing else like it. 1t
is DIR. Kilmer's prescription used in pri-
vate practice and it is sure 10 benefit you.
Get bottle from your druggist.
However, if you wish first to test this
great preparation send ter cents to DIR.
Kilmer & Co., Birshamton, n. Y, for
sample bottle. When writing be sure and
mention this paper. Adv.
Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1917-10-24
BOY SWAPS HIS DADS SHIRT
Accepts Proposition Of Wild West
Show Employee and Gets inside
the "5io Top"

Monta Jessep is the robust son of
Grin Jessup. president Of the Grin Jes-
sup Land company of Upton, and he
is a true American lad. says the In
dianapolis News. He knows when a
circus comes to town. and like all other
boys, he viii find a way to see the
show. That was why he did not miss
n wild West exhibition that played
Upton recently. The lad had been
bordering over how he was TO get in
side the ''big top" and he was not
greatly encouraged until big. black
man-one of the many sons of Ham
with the show-approached him.
"Say, sonny. how big's your dadT
asked the stranger.
He's a whopper," promptly replied
the youngster, thinking perhaps the
colored man might have some notion
Of ordering him roughly from the
grounds.
''If yon all II give me one Of your
dads shirts I'll take you In all the
shows"
The lad scurrled away and soon de-
livered one Of Mr.. Jessup's best shirts
10 the colored man. who was as good
as his word and took the lad through
every tented attraction on the grounds
Later on the young American had It
forcIbly Impressed on him that he could
have gone TO the show several times
for what the shirt cost.