The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-08-24
The Vice Presidency.

1896, made certain statements
~ regarding the vice presidency
which have peculiar slgnl1-
cance now that he is himself candi-
date. He has always held strong OBJ
jectons to the old-time method of Sc
lecting a vice president as a sort of
consolation prize, or else solely for
geographical reasons, or to placate
certain party preJudices. In this con-
nection Governor Roosevelt said dur
ing the campaign of four years ago:
1T will be noticed that most of our
factional evils arose from the fact that
the vice president, under ordinary cir
cumstances, possesses so little real
power. He presides over the senate
and he has in Washington a position
OF marked social importance, but his
political weight as vice president Is
almost nil There is always a chance
that he may become president. AS
this is only a chance it seems quite
impossible to persuade party leaders
to give it proper weight. This GER
tainly does not seem right. The vice
president should, as far as possible,
represent the same views and princl-
pies which have secured the nomina-
tion of the president, and he should
be man standing well in the coun-
ellis Of the party, trusted by his fellow
party leaders, and able in the event of
any accident to his chief to take up
the work OF the latter where 1t was
left on The Republican party have
nominated such a man in the person
of Mr.. Hobart But nominations OF
this kind have by no means always
been the rule of recent years"
Colonel Roosevelt then continued in
vein which oddly enough has ex-
ceptionsl interest in this campaign
when his opponent is the man men
toned in the words: mo change OF
parties, for instance, could well pro-
duce a greater revolution in policy
than would have been produced at
almost any time during the last three
years If Mr.. Cleveland had died and
Mr.. Stevenson had succeeded him"
But here is given the sincere opinion
Of our future vice president; "One
sure way to secure this desired result
| (the selection Of a vice president in
| touch with the presidenD would un-
| doubtedly be to increase the power
of the vice president. He should al
| ways be a man who would be con-
suited by the president on every great
| party question. 1t would be we'll IL
| he were given seat in the cabinet.
| It might be Well if In addition to his
| vote in the senate in the event OF a
tie, he should be given a vote on or
dinary occasions, and perchance on oc-
| casions a voice in the debates"
Four years ago the present governor
Of New York had no more idea that he
would be the popular candidate for
the second place on the Republican
ticket, and the idol of the people OF
America, than he had Of being Mikado
of Japan. He was the same Teddy
Roosevelt but he had not made a rec
ord at San Juan nor in the bitterer
fight in the executive chamber at AL
bany. But IL he had drawn his own
portrait as the man for the exigen-
cies Of the present situation he could
not have made a better forecast. He
| Is too modest man to accept this
as a true statement yet nevertheless
1t is a fact which Republicans in gen.
eral will be glad to accept. He Is "the
man who will be consulted by the
president" on not only every great
party question but on the colossal
problems which are now rising to a
height overtowering questions of party
or men. His views as to the promln-
ence which should be given TO the Of
flee of vice president We're not ex-
pressed with thought to the posi-
bility of their ever being applicable to
himself,but there can be no doubt that
if such changes are likely to be made
in the future Of our republic, no better
time could be selected than that in
which Theodore Roosevelt could add to
the nations power and prestige as an
occupant Of the vice presidential chair.