The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1886-01-21
PRESIDENTIAL SUCCESSION.
Report OF the House Committee on ths
HOar Bill-3flnority Report.

Report of the House Committee on ths
Hoar BiII-3flnority Report.
WASHINGTON, January 13.-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 the succession un-
der the circumstances now existing, leaving
further and satisfactory provisions for con-
tingencfes which may possibly arise TO
other measures hereafter to be proposed.
As to the question of the advisability 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 as, 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 ali probability lead to
8 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 te
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
lect, the majority conclude that the PTesi-
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 deyolve. The
majority of the committee think that a
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 Tor the remainder of term.
Mr.. Cooper, of Ohio, in his minority re-
port, holds that the HOar bill does not pro-
vide for filling vacancy in the Presidency
W itdbality VI uO1til w AllC 1851
dent-eIect and Vice PreSident-eiect. 1.-The
majority of the committee" says Nj. 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 if the President
elect and Vice President-eIect 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 signally 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 as reported is that the terms upon
which the acting President holds Office and
his salary are not sufficiently definite. as
he privileged asks Mr.. Cooper, "tO ap-
point a cabinet? If so, would not the Sec
rotary of State be justified under the Hoar
bill in usurping the Presidential of
fee? Would his salary be that OF
President or Secretary of State? and
would he 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 THE Presidential
Office should always be elective and any ar
Tangement made for filing vacancies should
be in the nature of a temporary expedien:
to carry Oh the Government until the va
cancy can be filled by an election"