Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-11-25
abolish the Vice Presidency?

ABOLISH inc VICE STeSttcUCt
The death of Vice President Hobart
has re-opened the old discussion as to
the usefulness or uselessness Of the
vice presidential office. The original
intention was that the office should
provide a successor in the presidency
in case that office should become va
cant, but the law of a few years ago
dency down through the members of
the cabinet has made the vice presi-
dency less of necessity than it used
to be. The vice president has literally
nothing to do except to preside over
the Senate. and as that body is not in
session half the time and always has "A
president pro TEN, the chief duty of
the vice president is to stand around
waiting for the possible death of the
chief executive.
But even though the vice president is
not of much practical use. it would Go
no Ndrln 10 nave oilt' II ~ WY q
WAYS nominated and elected with a
view to the contingency of succeeding
the president. There could be no harm
to the vice presidential office if its
incumbents We're always men of presi-
Dental capacity, but unfortunately
they are not always. and it is not in
the nature of things that they should
be If all vice presidents We're of such
great ability and such strong charac-
ter as that noble man whose death
the nation now mourns. there could be
no possible objection to the office. If
all vice presidents We're as well fitted
for presidential duties as Mr.. Arthur
and Mr.. Fillemore proved to be. no
critic could take exception to the way
in which the constitution works in
operation. But other vice presidents
who have. become presidents have
shown the weakness of the system.
There was John Tyler who betrayed his
party and who was despised by those
to whom he betrayed it; and there was
Andrew Johnson. about as unfit a man
for the presidency as could be found in
the country And there have been
other vice presidents who would have
made just as bad q mess of it, had the
slender thread of the presidents life
been snapped.
The nominations for the vice presi-
dency are generally hastily made. and
chiefly on sectional and fractional con-
sderations. The office meaning 50
little in itself, is not desirable to the
great statesmen and the men of richest
talent. 1t is not a stepping stone to
the presidency. but on the contrary
generally proves a political side track
to its incumbent. These are reasons
why the office is so frequently made
Guatcly filed, and why there is al
ways danger lurking in the present
system. The law regulating the sue
cession of cabinet members to the
presidency in case of the death of both
the president and vice president re-
moves the need of the office, as far as
providing a possible successor to the
president is concerned. Many would
hold indeed, that the secretary of
state. being 50 closely in touch with the
rraSident'S policy. and being generally
more of a statesman than the vice
president, would be much more fitted
t. succeed the president than the vice
president. But changes in our consti-
tuition are rot easily made, and what
ever the dangers and disadvantages OF
our vice presidential system it is not
likely that the office will be abolished
in the immediate future.