The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-07-01
AN OFFICE OF CONSEQUENCE.

Vice Presidents Have ruled an ImportAns
Place In ADerican history.
The routine duties Of the ot1ce of
vice-presHseRt are uninportant and the
influence of . vice-prestdent IN the cd
ministration of which he is g nembe-
Is insignificant He has less to do with
the course Of legislation than any Of
the Members Of the senate over which
he legally presides. In executive mat
tiers and in the consideration Of ap-
pointments q presidet,t consults with
his oabinet-never with the vice-presi-
dent. The presidents private score
tary, indeed, outranks usually IN point
Of Influence and authority the VICE
president. and the latter parsonage has
come to be regarded as an anniable hg-
urehesd whose only real importance
arises from tho possibility Of tho presi-
Dental Office becoming vacant.
Yet some OF the most important men
in American history, especially In the
early days Of the republic, have bsld
the Office OF vice-president and hare
brought to the discharge of its duties
qualities Of the very first importance.
The first vice president of the United
States, John Adams, was afterward
president, and certainly no New Engt
land man was more prominent than Mr..
Adams in support of the revolution.
A signer OF the declaration OF inde-
pen6ence, be Yves accredited as ministers
to France In 1777 end as minister to
England IN 1875, two Of tbemost impor4
tsnt Offices which an American &C that
time could fill, and outranlsd only by
the Office held by George Washington,
Mr.. Adams predecessor De PRESIDENT
who was commander In chief Of The
American army. Theksecord vice-pres-
ident Of the United States was the Glus-
t-ious domooratio statesmen, Thomas
jefferson. whose participation IN the
events leading up 20 the revolution was
certainly more active and Important
than that Of any of the members Of the
senate over which he presided George
Clinton. who enjoyed the remarkable
distinction Of being governor OF New
the fret governor Of New York, too),
was the fourth vice-president Of tho
United States. and Daniel D. Tompkns,
who was governor of New York for ten
years. was the sixth.
II has been sold often By critics o.
American political history that the
most distingvtshed statesmen, Henry
Clay, Daniel Webster and others of liru
prominence, have By come political ~
tally faflan short of the presidency,
Snd the nsrne OF John c. Calhoun. o.
South Carolina, has generally besn In
Guided In this list But Mr.. Calhoun
did not fell short Of the vice-presidency.
for he succeeded in Office Gov. Temp
kins, Of New York, and WIS for eight
years the vice-pressdent, having a. bis
SUCCESSOR Martin Van Bu-
rem, of New York. Mr.. Van Buren, wa
certainly the most prominent demo-
cratic statesman In the period In which
he lived, and after serving a. vioe-prc<,-
dent he was elected president In 1896.
william II. Harrison, grand |
father OF Mr.. CleveIa,d's prcdecessor.
A careful and satisfactory performance
OF the duties of the vSce-prcridcnt was. |
n the case Of Mr.. Van Buryn. no bar |
to his subsequent promotion 70 tbs
presidency. and later Willard Fillmore,
elected vice-President in 1s{s. became |
PRESIDENT and in the preeidentil con
test OF 1856. though running On an out |
side ticket Of third party. Mr.. FIJI |
more received for the presidency 500 |
40 yr,tes IN rrrorr rereut war; the Of. i
Zee OF vioe-presidest hss become of leas I
prominence, but Il has been held with /
by st least tro View York I
republicsns-Cheseer A Arthur and 1
Levi p. Morsoa-the former afterward !
president ssd the latter . esESl6see to- /