New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-03-12
WORK FOR EY-PRESLDENTS.
JOHN BIGELOw HEARTILY COADIENDs
THE PROPOSITION TO MAKE THEM
LIFE SENATORS.
LIFE SENATORS
To the Editor Of The Tribune.

To the Editor Of The Tribune
Sir: cheerfuIly avail myself Of your invita-
ton to express 10 the readers Of The Tribune
my views in regard to the best mode of dis
posing Of ex-Presdents. I do this the more
cheerfully because I entirely concur with the
view, recently expressed by The Tribune that
the Federal Constitution should be so altered
that the moment the Presidents term of Office ex-
pires he becomes a member for life Of the SEN
ate Of the United States. with a salary OF not
less than half his salary as President.
We have now but one -President-CIrover
Cleveland. Since the expiration OF President
Washington's term. in 1897. we have never been
without one or more. We have never had more
than four. except for a single year. in 1S61-62.
when We had five The average number for the
100 years since Washington became our first
ex-President has been less than three.
There is no citizen or class Of citizens so diff
cult to classify. none whose position is IN so
many respects awkward and embarrassing as
that OF an ex-Presdent Of the United States
yesterday the king. to-day none so poor to do
him reverence; at once the most conspicuous
and one Of the most pOwerless private citizens
Of the republic. Representing not only the emf
nence Of character which called him TO the chief
nagistTacy, but the accumulated distinction
which the discharge Of its duties for one OF more
terms necessarily begets. he IS relegated to the
comparative obscurity Of private life, unsup-
ported by a single expression OF the nations
gratitude or the slightest official recognition Of
the loss the public service sustains IN parting
with his unique experience and trained familI-
er1ty with public affairs. He takes with him
into retirement no official rank. no title not
even ribbon, perquisite-unless It be the
franking privilege-to distinguish him from the
obscurest and least deserving Of his countryrnen
Neither has he the privileges and exemptions
NH att a.
aerolite. the height from which he has descend
ed makes him object Of perpetual and costly
curiosity. II q Of moderate means, as
most Of our Presidents have been, and are likely
to be. he is subjected by the very euinence from
which he descends to expenses TO which no pri-
vate citizen IS Nable-expenses for which the
State makes 10 provision and from which there
is no graceful or digniaed escape.
The Presidency is the only office In the coun-
try which TO a considerable extent disquaIifes
its incumbent from returning to an active prose-
cution OF any profession calling for which he
may have been trained. He is expected 10 sus-
tain the dignity of first citizen Of the republic
for the remainder Of his life without any Of
the resources or privileges which such n rank
implies. At the very time when his availability
public servant is presumably great test: when
he deserves to be regarded as one OF the nations
most valuable assets, he IS cast aside like the
peel Of orange. virtually disqualified for all
subordinate positions.
It seems needless 10 say that this is not as It
should be: that it Is neither Just 10 our chief
magistrate. nor good economy nor good politics
The time chosen by The Tribune seems TO be
especially opportune for bringing this question
TO the front; for securing TO our ex- Presidents
a rank and position which shall take due ac-
count not only OF the services they may have
rendered the country, but such as they more
than other persons, may be still capable OF rem
dering. Congress has occasionally allowed itself
10 make some temporary provision for necessi-
tous ex-Presidents, but, besides being transient
in their operation. these expressions Of national
sympathy involve invid'ous determinations
humiliate the beneficiary by granting as a
favor what should be conceded only for an
equivalent, and deprive the country Of services
which he may be presumed to have become
more competent than any other citizen of the
republic TO render.
All these ends would be secured by providing
for his graduation from the White House di-
rectly into the upper house Of our federal legis-
lature, where. from being the elect Of a party
he would become the counsellor and protector
not OF one party. but of all parties; not OF any
one political set, but Of the whole nation. With
no political ambition unqualified his indepen-
dence as complete as it ought to be in
this world, he would then occupy the position
in which it would be least difficult for him to
consecrate himself entirely and disinterestedly
TO the service of his country Having no patron
age to bestow, he would be under no obligation
10 NEEDLE with its disposition by those who
have. His social position being assured. his
income would amply provide for all his wants
and leave him no pretext for resorting to meth
DDS, dignifed otherwise. for increasing it,
And whether at home abroad, he and his
ex-PresidentiaI colleagues would have a well
defined official rank only lower than that Of the
President himself
The following amendments Of the constitution.
or something substantially ike them, would be
required TO accomplish this result:
Section 3, Article I, Of the constitution shall
be amended so as 10 read follows:
The Senate of the United States shall be com
rosed Of two Senators from each State. chosen
nv the legislature thereof, for six years. and of
si,ch persons as shall have served TO the close Of
a term as President acting President Of the
United States and each Senator shall have one
vote.
Section Of Article I shall be amended TO
read as follows:
The Senators and Representatives shall re
ceiye a compensation for their services to De