The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-12-13
News ano Gossip 6 Washington
BY LucIzN JULIEN WALKER.

1 the strength of his personality and ad' ministrative ability, that a year agc placed at the free disposal of every mem-
 Der of Congress 16,0o0 packages of gar. the few thousand of single varieties SC disposed of formerly.
 Until within the past few years the Az ricultural Department was not in posi-
 tion to give each Congressman for free
 distribution more than three thousand
 single packages, or rather papers, of seed; distributed amongst the several standard
 varieties of vegetables. After that. Sec retary Wilson came into office, and he persuaded Congress to vote money to en-
 able him to supply each member with five thousand packages, each package containing the four standard vegetables. From. the last Congress Secretary VII
 son obtained money sufficient to enable
 him to send every member fifteen thou sand packages, each containing four va- rieties of seed. And these seeds are .sci- sntifically distr buted according to the varying climate and soil of this big coun- try.
 1t Is difficult to over-estimate the value of this peculiar form of parental govern ment, or state socialism. or whatever IL may be called.
 CAN'T BE PRESIDENT.
 Yet Secretary Wilson is an American by adoption only. He is a native of Scotland and according to law he fills the only cabinet office which can be filled by a foreign born citizen. This comes about somewhat seculiarly for since the foun- dation of our government dozens or TOT eign-born citizens have held cabinet omce. the first and the most famous Of them all having been Alexander Hamilton first secretary of the Treasury, who was born In the West Indies of British subject and who could not have been Presldent had he survived Burr's bullet. it being forbidden by the Constitution in the real making of which his was perhaps, the most masterful mind.
 Secretary Wilson's present extraordi- nary efforts te dealtsuccessfully with the oot-and-mouth disease, which threatens aster, and for which work he has asked Congress for a million dollars, make him for the. moment one of the most con. spicvous figures in the national life; and it may be in all truthfulness said. no man in the national life is more worthy of the honor and the entire confidence of the people. MT. Wilson is that engaging reality, a great modest man.
 "AND TYLER, TOO"
 to the succession to the President, it may be worth while to point out that the Act of Succession was approved In January, lSS6 Under its terms the right of tenn ing the President and Vice President, rests in the cabinet, in the order Of the seniority in the creation of the respective cabinet officers It was subseNuent to the passage of this act that the Bureau of Agricuiture was created an independ- ent department and therefore the Secfe-
 tary of Agriculture may be of foreign
 birth. ,
 1t is curious to note. in passing, and in view of the fact that if President Roose- welt. should die, Secretary Of State Hay would become Acting President" that there was mighty Issue raised as to
 what title John Tyler should assume when he as President succeeded the frst President Harrison, the latter having been the first President to die in ofnce. The tumultuous cry was at once raised
 that Tyler should style himself and sign | himself Acting President" but that | somewhat hardheaded and certainly stub | born Virginia settled the issue in short | order and for all time by preclaiming | himself Phe President That was the end 1 of it, for from The Presidents common sense decision there was no appeal. The existing act of succession. however l expressly provides that cabinet officer
 succeeding to the duties of the Presi-
 dency shau be Acting President" Yet
 there might be one man daring enough 1 to proclaim himself The President. and
 1t is doubtful if there would be any tn- | telligent protest; for after all 1t seems l like splitffOer hairs.