Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1899-11-30
CHAMP CLARK ) LETTER
Lesson of Vice President
Hobart's Career.
IT ENCOURAGES AMBITION.
Shows the Benefcence of Our
Institutions.
HEEDERsoNs TROUBLES BEGIN.

Overwhelmed by congressman Who
Want Chairmanships-Spe
the House-Missouri's Claims For
the PIace-Chances of the Four
Candidates-Outrage Treatment
of SchIey.
Especial Washington letter.
Being one of the congressional dele
CATION selected to attend the funeral of
Vice President Hobart, in going to and
returning from Paterson, n. J., 1 re-
fected good deal upon what saw
and heard, and my conclusion is that
the chief lesson to be learned from his
career is the beneficence of our Amer
lean institutions and the wondrous op-
portunities they afford the young, the
brave, the capable, the industrious, the
resolute-an old lesson, it is true, but
one that cannot be told too often.
Here was a man who began life coun-
try schoOlteacher and who 81 years ago
went to Paterson to study law with
only $1.50 capital who at the early age
of So dies worth a million and holding
the second office within the gift of
free people, whose funeral is attended
by the president and his cabinet, by
the supreme court, by quorum of the
senate, by a large number of represent
atives and by the authorities of his ma
tive state, and whose death is sincerely
incurred by the nation at large.
In no other country could such a
scene take place, and the fact that it
can take place here is the greatest
incentive to human exertion.
Mr.. Hobart was the sixth vice presi-
dent to die in office, the five others be-
ing George Clinton. Elbridge Gerry.
William r. King. Henry Wilson and
Thomas A. Hendricks. Only four pres
idents have died in office-William
Henry Harrison, Zachary Taylor,
Abraham Lincoln and James A Gar
field, the two latter having been assas-
sinated. Mr.. Hobart magnified his of
1ice-that is, he increased its dignity
and prestige both by clearly recognize
ing the vice presidents anomalous POI
sition in our governmental machine
and by discharging the perfunctory
duties of his station with tact, in
dustry and intelligence. I think that
Mr.. Hobart presided over the senate
more constantly than any of his prede-
cessOrs. Why do not know. | cannot
imagine a more soporific performance.
Perhaps Mr.. Hobart was bothered with
insomnia and listened to senatorial
speechmaking to induce sleep, or it
may have been that he enjoyed the
Rristoeratic atmosphere which is sup
posed to pervade the chamber of the
ancients. Perhaps it was a conscien-
tious notion that he was paid $4,000
per annum to preside and that he ought
to earn his money. Who knows?
The Line of Succession.
It's an i'll wind that blows good to
nobody, and two amiable and illus
trious statesmen are benefited some
what by the departure of Mr. Hobart
Hon. John Hay, secretary of state, and
Senator William P. Frye of Maine.
Senator Frye will, as president pro
TEN. Of the senate. receive an extra sal
airy allowance of $1,000 per annum and
will enjoy certain other extraordinary
privileges-inter ala, that of making
certain desirable appointments of
friends to office
Colonel Hays position is better, be-
cause he is now heir apparent to the
presidency. The line of succession I'M
til recently was vice president, presi-
dent pro TEN. of the senate and speak
er of the house. AS. during the long
vacation, there is usually neither pres
ident pro tenn. of the senate nor speak
er of the house, there were only two
lives between the government and an
archy. Indeed, when General Garfield
was killed, there being neither presi-
dent pro TEN. nor speaker. only one life
General Arthur's) stood between the
government and anarchy. After that
the line of succession was changed so
as to go from vice president to secre-
tary of state and on down through the
cabinet in order of the date Of the ere
alton Of the various departments. So
that usually now we have nine or ten
lives between us and anarchy. A wise
change certainly.
I'm the beginning God made round
holes and three cornered holes" said
Rev. Sydney Smith, who was more wit
than preacher, "and he also made
round people and three cornered peo-
pie to fit in them. but the trouble is
that the round people have got into the
three cornered holes and the three cor
nered people into the round holes, and
nobody fits" The chances are that
General David Bremner Henderson.
speaker that is about to be- would
make bis After Davy that Sidney was
correct in his diagnosis of the case.
The generals rooms at the Norman
die are just now the Mecca of aspir-
ing statesmen in the more numerous
branch of the federal legislature.
There are $50 Of them besides the gen
eral himself. and the chances are that
if each and every one of them was Civ
en- carte blanche IN choosing commit
tee places there would be $50 chair
men of the committee on ways and
means. Perhaps a few-very few-of
the most modest ones might select 9th