Evening star., 1901-09-26
ACCIDENTAL PRESIDENTS.
The Patriotic Zeal and Sense of ObII-
cation.


The Vice Presidents who have succeeded
to supreme authority through the accident
Of death have invariably striven with pa
triotic zeal and sober sense of obligation
TO the people to promote the welfare of the
country. None Of the Vice Presidents who
became Presidents have been a reproach
to our institutions. although some of them
were unsuccessful party leaders. and
were bitterly antagonized in the prosecu-
tion of their policies. Tyler Fillmore,
Johnson, Arthur were all honest men. Their
abilities were not of the first order and
their personalities varied in attractiveness,
yet they were soberly conscious of their
heavy responsibilities In carrying on the
peoples government, and, whatever the
mark they left upon history they labored
earnestly and often in the face of Irritating
OBSTACLES to serve the state.
Probably none of this group Of Presidents
has been more belittled than Tyler unless
1t be Johnson, yet one of the most brilliant
chapters in American diplomacy came dur
ing his administration. Senator Lodge has
written that mo one, with the exception of
John Quincy Adams has attained
greater success in the administration of
the State Department than Mr.. Webster
did while in Tylers cabinet" And that
much of Mr.. Webster's success was due to
President Tyler himself is now conceded by
the latest historian of American diplomacy.
The Observation-Disclosures treaty stands TO
the credit of John Tyler as much as to our
Massachusetts statesman. Too little credit
also has been given to Andrew johnson,
perhaps the most abused of Presidents,
for retaining in office and supporting in his
brilliant diplomatic operations another
great Secretary of State, William II. Sew
ard. 1t was under Tyler that our north
east boundary dispute with England was
settled, and ii was under johnson that
Alaska was honorably added to the terri
tory of the United States and the elimi-
nf r.af4 h.at
hemisphere accomplished without the boom
of a single gun. In looking backward one
may see that these were great services to
the nation; and they make us realize that
our group of accidental Presidents have
not only been honest men, laboring under a
deep sense of responsibility, but also that
they have not failed to accomplish impor-
tant things for the benefit of their coun-
trymen.
Mr.. Roosevelt, it should be said. bulks
larger in native capacity for public service
than his four predecessors to whom refer
ence has been made. 1t is not necessary to
point to his defects; II suffices now 10
dwell upon his positive merits as a man and
an administrators. None Of those predeces-
sors had his education or his natural SYM
pathy with ideals. II what is best in Theo-
dore Roosevelt can be brought out, rather
than what is worst, his possibilities for
good cannot well be exaggerated. He en-
joys also the exceptional advantage of
having been nominated to the vice pres-
dency as the result OF no factional deal"
but rather as the result of his popularity
with the rank and file of his party, and
this may mean much In avoiding the pit
falls of factionalism IN which Tyler John
son and Arthur were overwhelmed. That
ne VIII make new and highly creditable
record as one of this class of Presidents
must be every citizens hope, and II is as
well the general belief and faith Never
was the nation more ready to sustain a
President in every good word and work
than are the people of the United States
today as President Roosevelt takes UP the
great and unexpected responsibilities that
are laid upon him by the untoward event
We all deplore and mourn.