Omaha daily bee., 1896-11-13
M't<INLEY MUST READ THE NEWS.
In No Other Why WIN lie Learn that
lie IIns nrNn ElrrIch.


MIR. Mckinley will have to learn from
the newspapers that he has received ma
jority Of the electoral votes and has been
duly and formally elected president Of the
United States When $500 government
clcrkship is filled the appoiutce receives a
notice from the Civil! Service commission.
a mcmbcr-olect OF congress is given a Ger
tihcatc by the secretary OF the state In
which he lives. \ postmaster after being
confirmed by the senate, is given a COM
mission. But the citizen who is elected to
the highest Office in the gift Of the Amcri-
can people receives no notice, no certificate
no commission.
Several years ago, after the uncomCorta-
hle experience In 1876 congress passed an
electoral law, setting forth i'm much detail
the procedure FOR the reception aud canvass
OF ballots cast by the electors These clCc-
tors meet at the state capitols and prepare
the returns Three sets uf returns are for
MdIded from each state to Washington.
they are guarded with great care. On the
appointed day The senators march over to
the house, and, in joint session. with much
iormali,y every step IN which is directed by
law, the returns are Canvassed. Then the
vice president announces the names OF
those chosen for president and vice presi-
dent for the term beginning on the 4th OF
March. With that the formalities end.
There is no provision for any notice to
the two men found to be elected.
When Mr.. George f. Edmunds was in the
S'Hdlc he udu u BOOu utal TO 40 with the
drafting of the elaborate law under which
the electoral votes are now cauyasscd lie
was asked one day how a man elected to
the presidency was going to find 1t out.
BY reading the newspapers" was the
reply
AS Inauguration day draws near. a com
mittoe of senators and representatives is
appointed to have In charge the arrange
ments. This committee usually has some
correspondence with the presdent-elect, TO
learn his personal wishes regarding the
program. Nothing however in the form
of an official statement of the canvass Of
the returns is sent to the prcsdcnt-eleCt
When the proper time comes Mr.. McKin-
ley. having read in the newspapers that he
has been elected will 20 to Washington
He will call upon President Cleveland. An
hour later President Cleveland will call
upon Mr.. Mckinley These calls will take
place n day or two before the 4th of March
On the morning OF the ith President Clevc-
land VIII come to the hotel again. take Mr..
Mckinley in an open barouche behind four
black horses and ride with him to the sen,
ate wing of the capitol. There, in the pres-
dent room. the committee Of arrangements
will meet the prcsident-elect and the prcsi-
dent to escort them to the senate chamber.
That Will be the first official Information
Mr.. Mckinley will receive that he is to
become president OF the United States. All
of the information that he has had 70 guide
derived from the newspapers. Ten minutes
later Mr.. Mckinley will put his hand on the
open bible and be sworn by Chief Justice
Fuller. That act will make him president
Of the United States. without scrap OF
paper to show his authority he will enter
upon his duties as president.
The act of President Cleveland in calling
for MIR. Mckinley and escorting him to the
senate Is one Of courtesy only. President
Cleveland will learn that MIR. Mckinley is
to be the successor in the same way that
Mr.. Mckinley will-through the newspapers.
II is within the memory of many now living
that a president declined to perform this
act of courtesy, and that a presdent-elect
made his way alone to the capitol to be re-
ceiyed by the senate and sworn. President
Andrew johnson refused to go with General
Grant.
II seems singular that with all Of the
elaborate electorag program there should
be no provision for an official notification OF
his election TO the prcsIdont-elcct, and that
with all of the pomp ana ceremony OF in
auguratun there should be issued no com
mission, no proclamation. to give official in
formation of a change OF administration.