The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1886-01-22
PRESIDENTIAL SUCCESSION.

Report Of the House Committss On IL
Hoar Bnl-Mlnority Report.
WASHINGTON. January 1S.-In reporting
the Hoar bill to regulate the presidential
succession to the House the majority Of the
Committee on the Election of President
and Vice President say It is absolutely
necessary to provide for tho succession un-
der the circumstances now existing, leaving
further and satisfactory provisions for con.
tingencies which may possibly arise to
other measures hereafter to be proposed.
As to the question of the ACCESSIBILITY Of
changing the present law the majority say
that they are confronted by many difficulties
that arise in the endeavor to ascertain the
constitutionality of the present system.
There are grave doubts As to whether the
President pro tempore of the Senate or the
Speaker of the House are such officers of the
United States rs, in the meaning and intent
Of the constitution, could succeed to the
Presidential Office, the statutes providing
therefor to the contrary notwithstanding.
These doubts would disturb the success
SION under the present statutes.
and would in all probability lead to
contest that would disQuiet
the Nation, unsettle business and disturb
the peace of the country. A grave Objec-
ton to the present system, in the opinion Of
the majority is the fact that it merges the
executive branch into the legislative branch
of the Government and annexes the powers
and duties Of the chief executive officer to
the position of President pro tenn. of the
Senate or Speaker of the House. As Presi-
dent of the Senate he would preside over
the proceedings involving the confirmation
of his own nominations and as
Speaker Of the House he could vote TO
sustain his own yetoes, and, as either
House of Congress might expel one of its
members, the Acting President might be
expelled. After further discussing the sub
ject, the majority conclude that the Presi-
dent pro tempOre OF the Senate and the
Speaker of the House are in no sense Off
GERS OF the United States upon whom the
Presidential succession could devolve. The
majority of the committee think that
Cabinet officer. selected by the chosen
President of the people, by and with the
consent of the Senate. is certainly proper
successor to the administration of the Gov
eminent for the remainder of term.
MIR. Cooper, of Ohio, in his minority re.
port, holds that the Hoar bill does not pro.
vide for filling vacancy in the Presidency
Wy lhduhkty VI ucbtl VI klIc lIcSl.
dent-elect and Vice Prcsident-eiect. "The
majority of the committee" says MIR. Coop
er, "argue that the words President and
Vice President include those officers elect
But if that be SO. then another objection
arises, which is that il the President
elect and Vice President-elecs be dis
abled or die, the successor to the Pres
idency would be the Secretary of State
of an old, dead Administration. Thus
a mere clerk to President whose
party may have been siguaIly defeated at
the polls, would for four years discharge
the duties of President in opposition to the
will of the people" Another objection to
the bill rs reported is that the terms upon
which the acting President holds office and
his salary are not sufficiently definite. "Is
he privileged asks Mr.. Cooper, ito APP
point cabinet9 If SO, would not the Sec
rotary of State be justified under the Hoar
bill in usurping the Presidential Of
flee? Would his salary be that Of
President or Secretary Of State? and
would no hold both Offices? These are
questions of importance that are not deter
mined by the language of the bill. In the
opinion of the minority 1.-THE Presidential
office should always be elective and any ar
rangement made for filling vacancies should |
be in the nature of temporary expedien:
to carry on the Government until the va
cancy can be filled by an election"