The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1881-12-15
force greater uniformity in rules governing
purchases of wheat in all localities in the
state. and establishing an undertaking
system of grading for all points.
SENATE YESTERDAY

WASHINGTON, Dec. 14-Mr Beck spoke
of the serious difficulties and confusion
likely to arise from the enforcement of the
act of March 1, 1892, giving the line of
succession to the President of the Senate,
or, ii none, to the Speaker of the House in
the contingency therein provided for, and
referred to many instances in which if any
such contingency had arisen these difficulties
| would have been illustrated. He said that
while the word Officer in the clause of
the constitution empowering the Legisla-
ture to declare what officer shall act as
provisional successor, has been held to
mean an officer of the United States, the
only existing provision of law on the sub
| iect in the act of 179s, designated officials
not recognized as officers of the United
States. The Senate decided in 1908 in
the Blount impeachment that Senator
was not civil officer of the United
States within the impeaching clause of
the constitution and this decision has
been followed. There were many practi
cal difficulties in the way Of the execu-
ton of the law The Speaker of the
House ordinarily has no official existence
for nine months of every alternate year
and the President of the Senate may
have no official existence at the same
time, as has repeatedly occurred, and
was fact when the assassination of
President Garfield occurred. During the life
of the Vice President the office of Presi
dent pro TEN of the Senate does not exist,
except in the adherence of the Vice Presi-
dent, upon whose temperance the Presi
dent pro tenn becomes functus officio. The
power given congress provides for success
sion, being the power to designate an Off
Ger already existing. The latter must con-
tip,1a fO hold an offipn the DoSSaSSion Of
which qualities him for designation as act
ing President of the United States. Thus
the Speaker of the House or President of
the Senate, who is acting President of the
United States, would WELD both the legis-
lative and executive power Of the govern
ment as he would take part in legislation
and append or withhold appending his sig
nature to that same legislation. Further,
both the President of the Senate and
Speaker of the House may be ineligible to
|. Presidency, both by reason of alienage and
non age. This was illustrated in the case
of Clay, who was elected Speaker before
he was of Presidential age, and under the
existing law If both the President and Vice
President had died sixty days before the
| first Wednesday of the present month, il
would have been necessary to elect a
| new President, who would be
| SNOTn III OA luC It'll "a TldECu
next, in the middle of long
term of Congress, and if he was to serve
| four years his term would expire in the
middle of the Congressional term. The
| introduction of the new Cabinet and new
machinery in the middle of Congress
would disorganize all departments and
| ought to be provided against. Mr.. Beck
was opposed to Mr. Garland's bill vesting
the succession in Cabinet officers, because
in the event of the removal of the Presi-
dent, the Cabinet might not only be i'm
PEELED with the President, but might be
| shown to have advised the offense fo1
which he is removed. Then too, Cabinet
members may not possess the required
qualifications for the Presidency. He
then quoted from an interesting letter by
an official of the Senate, d. S. Murphy, in
response to one from himself,
| Mr.. Maxey followed Mr.. Beck, holding
| that the vice President does not become
president or Is entitled to take the oath OF
such pending the inability or disability Of
the President, but discharges the powers
and duties of the office by virtue of hi:
office as Vice President. pending disability
and 40 longer.
| Mr. Anthony followed, reviewing the
practical difficulties in the way of the en-
/ forcement act of 1892 and the necessity o.
remedy therefor.
Mr.. Garland obtained the floor when tht
Senate went into executive session, re
| ferred the nominations received to-day anC
1 adjourned