The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-09-07

to be followed by the executive branch.
Vice President Roosevelt is understood to
be in Vermont. this being the Information
furnished by his relatives here. and Of
course viii hold himself in readiness to
do whatever is necessary and to meet the
obligations imposed upon the Vice Presi-
dent by the Constitution of the United
States. These are considered in Paragraph
6. Section 1, Article 2, in the following
words:
"In case Of the removal OF the President
from office. or of his death. resignation or
inability to discharge the powers and duties
of the said office, the same shall devolve
on the Vice President" etc.
Under the terms of this article, as soon
as Mr.. Roosevelt is assured by proper au-
thority probably. in this case, by the
senior member Of the Cabinet, Secretary
Hay, who will doubtless be in Buffalo by
Tomorrow evening-he will undertake at
once in a provisional way to discharge such
duties as may devolve on him. Much will
depend upon the report Of the physicians
upon the character Of the Presidents in
juries as to the extent to which Mr.. Roose-
welt will discharge the presidential duties,
if he undertakes them at all, and it is al
most certain that in the absence of great
emergency in public affairs, even if called
to assume these obligations, the Vice PresiE
dent will confine himself in the exercise OF
his powers to the discharge Of the most
routine and indispensable functions. Under
the law an extra session of Congress must
be called.
HOPE FOR THE BEST.
For the present the thought of a fatal
termination Of the Presidents condition is
referred to with awe-like apprehension,
and there is a hopeful anticipation that
there may be no need for meeting those
grave emergencies which would follow a
fatal termination of the tragic event.
Should the worst come, however, it is
realized that important changes in the
public affairs Of the country would soon be
brought about. All this has been thought
of here only in the vaguest manner, and
confidence is almost universal, based on
the Presidents magnificent constitution.
his present excellent physical condition and
the tremendous strides that have been
made since Garfield's time, in surgery.
that there will be no occasion to resort TO
the constitutional provisions made to meet
the demise of a President in office.
During the early evening a conference
was held at the War Department of such of
the prominent army officers as could be
gathered at short notice by General
Gillespie. He informed them that he had
communicated with General Brooke, at
Governors island, and that the general had
replied he would start Immediately for Buff
falo, where he expected in the early morn
ing to take personal charge of all arrange
ments made for the guarding of the pres
idential household. Meanwhile he had d.
rected that the troops which had been
placed on guard around the hospital in the
exposition grounds be transferred to the
Milburn home, where the President lies, to
serve as guard and keep back the public
and preserve quiet. Surgeon General Van
Reypen, of the navy, who called at General
Gillespie's office and discussed the case
from a medical point of view, took occasion
to mention DR.. Nicholas Sem, of Chicago,
as an expert of high grade in such cases of
injury, and the. suggestion was promptly
telegraphed to Buffalo that his services be
secured.
Assistant Secretary Allies. of the Treas
ury Department, received a message from
Secretary Gage, at Chicago. stating that he
was about to leave at once for Buffalo.
where he will arrive tomorrow morning.
DEWEY PLUNGED IN GRIEF.
Admiral Dewey, when the news reached
him by telephone. at once sought all the
| particulars that were available and placed
himself in readiness for any service that
might be required of him. The admiral
said he was plunged in grief too deep for
utterance at this time. He said he could
not now express an opinion as to the effect
the calamity might have on the Schley
court of inquiry.
Owing to the absence of many Of the dip
Iomatic corps at Buffalo and of many 9TH
ers at the various summer resorts, there
were only two representatives of this body
of rank in Washington to-day. Minister
Wa was one of these, and when seen to-
night he was a picture OF distress. He
realized keenly the tremendous indebted
ness of China to President McKinley's
kindly impulses in her great trials in the
past year, and was shocked at the great
calamity that had befallen him. He said
he could not conceive of any sort OF motive
for such an inexcusable deed as that of
Nieman's. and he was severe in his denun-
citation OF Anarchists. He asked why they
were permitted to hatch such plots as this
in a republic where the people could readi-
ly change their President if they were in
the slightest degree dissatisfied with his
official conduct or his private personality.