Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1901-08-22
NUMBER 2

a justice of the peace or by a notary
public In his corner of a room. but the
people desire public Inauguration,
and vox populi vox Del IL we are to
have public performance, it ought to
be at such season as Is most pleasant,
say the first Monday Of May or Octo-
Der. The Washingtonians-G bless
'em!-are particularly interested In this
change because the Inauguration Is
their greatest show. Indeed 1t is really
the greatest show on earth.
Ex-Presidents.
Hon. Charles Carroll Bonney In The
Open Court discourses as follows:
Undoubtedly the American people would be glad
to make some appropriate provision for all suryiv
ing ex-presidents Of the United States and the
present favorable time for the agitation Of
this matter 1t is therefore respectfully urged
that without distinction of party. but as a pstri-
otic service, an amendment to the national cousti-
tuition be adopted without unnecessary delay and
submitted to the several states for ratification
providing that all such ex-presidents shall be ex
of1cio honorary members for life Of the senate Of
the United States with all the rights, privileges,
immunites and compensation OF a senator, except
that such honorary members shall not vote upon
any question. OF course the voting power OF the
senate would not be disturbed by the proposed
change.
Such an amendment would secure to the coun-
try the benefit of the experience and wisdom Of
the ex-prcsidents and would give them an honor
able and dignifed position in which, there Is no
doubt. they would be glad to continue to serve
the people
The advantages Of such course are 80 obvious
and so many and the absence OF grounds for OBJ
ie 90 0fp ~ . &h
little argument effort would be required to car
ry this suggestion into full effect Indeed thare
is no good reason why the state Legislatures should
not have the amendment before them for action
next winter.
1t would require q vote of two-thirds Of each
house of congress to pass the proposed amendment
and ratification by thrce-fourths OF the states
to make 1t part Of the constitution. May we not
hope that the next session of congress will be dis
tnguished by the adoption of the proposed amend
ment?
think can state with something
approximating knowledge that Mr..
Bonney's concluding hope will not be
turned iuto fruition. 1t Is absoluta aly
safe to say that the next session Of
congress will ''be distinguished" by no
such action. It will be busy trying to
devise ways of economizing rather
than squandcring more money, for n
campaign is impending, don't you
know?
The people might be willing to PEN
sion ex-presidents outright, though It
is not clear why that should be done.
A president receives $50.0OO cash per
annum. His free rent, music by the
Marine band, etc, also perhaps
amount to $4,000 more; not exorbi-
tant remuneration to be sure, but
have made some inquiries on the SUBJ
ject and my conclusion is that presi-
dent can do all the entertaining neces-
sary or usual and save $4,000 to $780,
600 per annum-a comfortable nest
egg when multiplied by or 8, as the
case may be.
Mr.. Cleveland and General Benja-
min Harrison have shown US what to
do with ex-presiCents. Let them 60 to
work. They will receive the top Of the
market for anything they choose to do.
General Harrison cleaned up over a
quarter million at the law and by lit
Crary work in the eight years after he
retired from the presidency. Mr..
| Cleveland did well at the law IN his.
first retirement and no doubt receives
| fancy figures for his literary output.
| AS to making ex officio senators
| without a vote of the ex-presidents,
| that is absurd. There Is one prepos-
ferrous and superf1uous figurehead con-
nected with that body now-the vice
| president, whom somebody once de-
risively proposed to designate as ''his
| Superfuous highness." His main busi-
ness in life is waiting for dead mans
shoes