The Mt. Sterling advocate. (Mt. Sterling, Ky.) 1890-current, 1896-04-21
OF the Accidental Presidents.

johnson. elected as Vice President
became President. Twice before a
President had died in office, and
h who had been chosen to fill the
second Office was called upon TO as
sume the responsibilitiespf the great
one.
There was John Tyler. who, month
after his election as Vice President,
succeeded President Harrison. The
word was coined which defined the
attitude of the new President towards
Lis party, and the brief administration
of his predecessor. That word was
Tylerized. How President Harrison
would have ruled had ne lived, is, of
,urse, matter of conjecture; but
President Tyler's course gave deep Of
Tense to his party, and the overw helm
ing Wing victory of 1910 was followed
by Democratic success in 1874.
Next was Willard Fillmore, called
to the Presidency within. less than a
year and half after his election as
Vice President. He was a man of
sturdy integrity, of conspicuous purity
of character and with considerable
experience in public life, having
served more than one term in Con-
gress and having been at one time
Chairman of the Ways and Means
Committee. He had the misfortune
to succeed in a tempestuous time. He
kept the peace, but he failed to catch /
the real significance of events in which
he was so prominent an actor. He |
aided in no respect his party, and was
the last of the Wing Presidents. In
1852 Franklin Pierce was elected over
General Scott by an immense ma
jority.
Andrew johnson repudiated his
party and his party him. The fierce
passions that were engendered during
his term prolonged the period of re-
and gave rise to bitter
ness that had lasting effect. He was
President for almost four years-four
years lacking one month and eleven
days.
Then, and last, came Arthur, success
sor of Garfield. Not four months had
been in Office when Guiteau
fired the shot, from the effects of
which death came on September 10,
1881. On the 22nd the oath of office
was administered to the Vice Pres-
lent. So he ruled over the land for
hree and half years lacking eighteen
lays, ruled wisely and well, and yet
he opposition elected his succey3r
Thus, in all, men chosen as Vice
Presidents have held the chief office
10 less than thirteen years, ten months
md thirteen days, or approximately
of the entire Presidential
ERIN. There have been twenty. three
Presidents, one-sixth of whom have
'een Accidental Presidents. f.
The great prize is the Presidency,
nd political as well as geographical
considerations prevent the careful con-
Iteration of the second place till the Y
rst one is disposed of. There is the
urrah and hullabaloo incident to the
uccess Of the fortunate candidate, and
,ss attention is paid to the second
anne tLan history or forethought
yould suggest should be paid. II
Scientists hold to the law Of aver a
ges. 1t was the bold dictum of n
uckle that time might come when ;
istory could be written in advance II
y him who had mastered the details Il
life. Facts are too few yet, the IL
line is too short, to war;
mt the deduction OF any general law. a
nd yet the impressive lesson of his
ny is that too much care can not be
sed in selection of the second man on
10 ticket. The administration of G
lree out of four accidental Presidents N
rs been followed by the victory of fc
he opposition,-Commercial Gazette. p
- - fl
II May Do As Much For You. Of