The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1885-12-05

case of removal, death, resignation
or inability of both President and
Vice President, then the President
of the Senate. or if there be none,
the Speaker of the House shall act
as President until the disability is
removed or President elected
At present there is no President
of the Senate and no Speaker of the
House. and those officers cannot be
elected until Congress meets. Should
2 vacancy occur in the meantime the
Government would be carried on by
the Cabinet until a President of the
Senate or Speaker is elected, as it
was during President Garfeld's in
ability.
Congress has done nothing to
avoid such a situation as nas now
arisen. A bill providing for differ
ent succession to the Presidency was
introduced last winter. 1t provided,
when the offices of the President and
Vice President were both made va
cant by death, that the success
sion should pass first to the
Secretary of State, then TO the other
Cabinet officers in the line of their
rank. Such a measure would keep
the power with the Administration
which the people elected. This bill
will probably be re-introduced early
in the new session and pushed for
passage. 1t would guard against
possible Republican succession to
President Cleveland, should anything
happen to him.
1t is not thought that the death of
the Vice President can have any dis
turbing effect upon National politics
although of course the majority in
the Senate will elect a Republican
to succeed him. That will naturally
give rise to a feeling of uncertainty
for the reason that the death of Mr..
Cleveland would change the political
complexion of the Administration
The effect of Mr.. Hendricks death
will be felt in Washington society.
The White House will be closed
against festivities for some time,
such rs State receptions and dinners.
The Cabinet officers will also be pre-
vented temporarily from entertain
ing.
When the Senate meets it will pro
badly be called to order by its oldest
member. This is Senator Morrill,, of
Vermont Then the majority will
proceed to elect a presiding officer,
who will be either Logan, Sherman,
Hoar, Ingalls,, or Edmunds. (which
will it be2' is a question much dis
cussed just now.
Thanksgiving Day at the Capitol
was celebrated in the time honored
way. Department clerks were paid
off the day before, SO that they could
prepare for the holiday in festive
way. The wheels of the Govern
ment machinery were stopped,
schools were closed, churches were
opened, and families reunited, Toasted
and made merry.
Secretary Whitney offered to give
all the clerks of the Navy Depart
ment a Thanksgiving turkey, and
made arrangements to deliver the
fowl to every officer and employe
who would avail himself of the pro
posal.
The report of Hon. Jos. S. Miller,
Commissioner of Internal Revenue,
is in the hands of the printer. From
it we learn that in West Virginia
there were six registered grain dis
tilleries in the last fiscal year, and
101 fruit distilleries. In your coun-
ty there was one grain distillery and
ten fruit distilleries.
The amount of revenue collected,
was: BY /. II. Duvall, 1922, 5S2, IS;
by S. p. Mccormick, $l9l, S19, 26; by
J. T. McGraw, $2S,7S6,73; total,
$543, 1857.
Commissioner Miller is one of the
most thorough officers who has been
at the head of the Internal Revenue
Bureau and has the service in excel
lent condition.
Lewis Baker was here last week
His many West Virginia friends
were glad to meet him again. He is
prospecting nicely in St Paul.