The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-02-15

Tho friend is, In this case, right. Up
10 tan years ago the law OF succession
TO the presidency was as the inquirer
states IL, but IL was then changed, az for
the Irst time ii then became clear that
there were contingencies under which the
nation might be left without an executive
head for a considerable period of time.
Tho way in which this discovery was
made is decidedly interesting. Early in
President, Mr.. Hendricks, died at his
homo in indianapolis. Up to the time of
bis illness, Mr.. Hendricks, by declining to
vscate the chair in the Senate, had been
stle to prevent that body from electing a
Iresident pro tempore. When Mr.. Hen
drics's died there was no president pro
ienpore of the Senate, therefore, ana as
his death occurred between the oissolu-
tion OF one Congress and the regular ses-
zion of the next, there wss no speaker of
the House of Representatives.
Under the law as IL then was should
Pres ident Cleveland die or become inca
pacitated from any cause. the country
would be without an executive head, be-
cause the vice president had already been
rem owed by death, no president pro
-teHseore OF -theASenate had been chosen
end there was no speaker Of the House of
Representatives. There was no one, in
fact, who was clothed with even tenn
porary authority to call an extra
ses lon of Congress. Nor could q special
el,cticn be held. Until Congress con-
vsged in December and the Senate
elected president pro tempore and
the House speaker nobody could per-
form any of the duties of president. 1t
was Senator Edwards who first recognized
tha gravity of the situation, and he pro-
ceeded forthwith to lay the matter before
President Cleveland, who, at the time,
was preparing to depart for Indianapolis
TO sttend the funeral of Vice Pres sident
Hendricks. Senator Edwards Explained
TO the President that he ought not to go
TO indianapolis as In case an accident
hs opened to him during the journey the
nation woul1 be without an executive
urtil December. Naturally the president
was very much astonishsd and for the
first time recognized how much depended
on bis life then. He agreed with Senator
Edwards and promptly abandoned the
proposed trip to indianapolis. For his
failure to attend the funeral of Vice. Pres
ident Hendricks he was pretty severely
criticised by the press, but ne made no
explanation and the real cause of
his absence was known to but few per-
sons.
When Congress convened in reg ular tes-
sion after the death of Vice Presi-
dent Hendricks, Senator Edwards sue
seeced in having passed by Congress a
bill which made impossible the repetition
Of such q condition OF things. The law
OF the presidential succession as then en-
acted and since then In operation, IL
such that vacancy in the Office OF presi-
ont of the United States Is beyond ell
probability. IL the president dies the
Weep esident takes the office and holds II
until the end OF the term. IL both the pres
ident and yice-presidsnt die the secretary
OF State succeeds and becomes the acting
president until congress can be convened
and special election held, the law direct
ing how and when the proclamation for
O special election shall be issue. The sue
cessicn falls in time upon the members OF
the Cabinet including the secretary uf
agriculture. In the brief time, therefore, |