The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-02-21
rREsIDEyIIAL SUCCESSION.
Circumstances That Are said to Have Kept
Cleveland from Hendricks. Funeral.


WASHINGTON. Feb. s.--Behind the law OF
Presidential succession Is curious chapter OF
unwritten history. IL wau told to-day by n
Missourian. who has been for many years u
trust ID official % the United States Senate.
II explains fully an incident. almost forgotten
now. but once the cause OF much criticism OF
President Cleveland.
Until ten years ago the law was that che
President pro tempore OF the Senate succeeded
TO the Presidential office fl the event Of the
death or incapaclty Of both President and Vice
President. In the absence of President pro
tempore. the succession devolved upon tho
speaker. But ei her OF these officers only acted
IS rresIden. until Congress could be convened
on twenty days notice and n special election
could he held.
Early In the first term Of Mr.. Cleveland
vi e. PRESIDENT Hendricks died at HIS home In
lndianapois. \ situation which was without
precedent existed. Cp to the time OF his sick
n sss Mr. Hendrick. had prevented the Senate
from clecting n President pro tempore. lie
had been able TO do this hy dec!ining to vacato
Sona.e was Republican by II narrow majority.
The Vice President. having some political adj
vantage In mind by SO doing. stendtast!y re-
fused TO let the Republicans organize. When
he died there was no President pro tempore.
The death occurred between the dissolution
OF one Congress md the regular session OF the
next Congress. There was no Speaker. At
the white House President Cleveland wa. com
to attend the funeral. Senator Edm, nds was
at the Capitol. busy In his 60 nmitleo room.
oSd Il t G" Tresde h' shoad be
or be rendered unfit for duty by an accident
on This contemplated Journey to lndisnap9li.'
WINS much. disturbed. Tho more lie thought
Of the peculiar possibilities the gravcr the sit
uat,on seemed TO him. lie asked me to find
only two were about the Can'tol. They were
soon closeted with Mr.. Edmunds. lie told
l. Ion, q a. af. D.
| IL ANYTHING should happen to Mr.. Cleveland
the country would be without head. There
| thority TO call on, extraordinaIr session OF
| Congress. II would hc impossible to take any
ssen. No SPECIAL election c!Ild be ordered.
| I'll the regular date for tho assembling OF Con
| gress came around In December. Until the
Senate chose u Prcsdent pro tempoIe and the
any Of the duties OF President;
| Tho law then relating to Presidential sue
cession was laid before the other Senators. The
| anomalous condition had not occurred to them.
| They agreed at once that Senator Edmunds
the circumst ,nccs the President oueht to DO
| cspecnlly careful they approved tn. suggcs-
ton. As III" result OF the conference Senator
Edmund" core out and asked me to %; a
Waite House and tod Mr.. Cleveland he
"Ta, hot srouaa .Somns so S
ti.at II an accident happened 10 hin the
country wonll be left without AZ ETecu-
| ident was astonished. lie had not had tho
| slightest realization OF how much Defended
| on his life M tina time. He acknowledged the
| force OF Senator Edmunds's argument. imme-
| diately cancelled the orders for transportation
| and remained in Washington"
| There was much criticism over the failure OF
| Mr.. Cleveland 10 b present nj the Hendricks
| ohscuuies The newspapers couldn't under
| stand the mn lErrni lack Of consideration. The
| President snil nothing. This Il tbs hrst time
| the circumstances of the Senatorial confer
ence anh NJ senator Edmundss hurried visit
n he hnnn
| As soon as Congress convened after Mr..
| 1Ieudrlcks's death senator Edmunds fatnered
| and pushed 10 enactment n bill which mndc
| impossible the repetition Of such u crisis. The
| law ~ success inn now II such that vacuncy
| I'm the o'lc" ~ President 81 the United States
| Is hnvond all probability. II the President lie,
| the Vice President takes the ONCE and holds II
| 10 the end NJ H." term. II both the President
| ana the Nicc. President die, the Secretary o
| state succeeds. Succession falls in turn unOl
| III" memharN ~ tic Cabinet, including III,
| Secretary " Agriculture.