The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-08-03
TOLD
OF NOMINATION
Continued From First Page.

~ y, the history OF our country, have filled
II. " Is an office of high dignity and
lllltn q, ever-present Importance. The
credit and honor Of our country are great
" concerned In the character and con-
duct OF the man who presides over the
senate OF the United States-tbat power
1ul and august body, Of which YOU are
ALREADY SO experienced, so useful and so
honored member.
But the vice president has other grave
outles OF imperative obligation. When the
people elect a president under our political
system, they do not merely select the
man for the office; they give their ap-
prevail to certain controlling principles and
pollc.es OF government and the admins
tration of which the vice president is a
part IS bound to give effect to these prin-
/ clples and policies. The primary duty of
the vice president to be always ready to
take up the burden of the presidency if
occasion requires, carries with it the duty
70 be always ready to continue unbroken
the policies which the people have en-
i trusted to the administration for execu-
tion. For the due performance Of this duty
the vice president should be familiar with
the conduct of affairs by the administra-
ZION as 1t proceeds, a part of it's counsels.
ana lmbued with a knowledge Of its labors
lts perplexities and its motives, that can
come only from intimate association and
confidence and sympathy. Too often it has
happened that after excited contests for
the presidential nomination the candidate
for vice president has been selected from
the defeated faction for the purpose of
aPpeaslng their resentment, and that after
| election he has remained antagonistic In
spirit, and stranger to the counsels Of
the president whom he may be called upon
to succeed. Happily we are now in NO
sucn case. The people would fain see
again such relations Of sympathy and
loyal helpfulness for the public good as
existed between President McKinley and
| vice President Hobart; and the personal
relations between President Roosevelt and
yourself, your mutual esteem and good
understanding assure us that these happy
conditions will come again after the 4th
OF next March. We count upon your wis
dom and experience and loyal aid as an
element Of ever-present strength in the
coming administration.
Responsibility of Office.
/ AS to the supreme responsibility of the
vice presidency in case Of succession to
the presidency, we shall all pray, and no
one more earnestly than yourself, that it
may not come to you. But we are not
at liberty to ignore the possibility that
1t may come. Sad and bitter experience
admonishes us that provision for success
sion to the presidency is no idle form
or the last twelve presidents elected by
the people of the United States, five
nearly one-half-have died in office, and
have been succeeded by vice presidents
A serious obligation rests upon the polici-
cal parties which select the candidates
between whom the people must choose
to see to 1t that they nominate men for
their possible succession who have the
! strength of body and mind and character
which shall enable them, If occasion
comes, to take UP the burdens of the
great presidential office, to endure its try
| ing and exhausting demands, to meet it's
great responsibilities. and with firm hand
and clear vision to guide the government
! of the country until the people can ex-
press their choice again.
| Our opponents of the democratic party
have signally failed to perform this duty.
They have nominated as their candidate for
the vice presidency an excellent gentleman
who was born during the presidency of
James Monroe, and who, before the 4th
! OF March next, will be In the eighty
second year Of his age. Before the next
administration is ended he will be APP
| preaching his #efghty-gixth birthday. IT
is no d1sparagemcot Of this gentleman.
for whom believe we all have the high
est respect, to say that he shares the
| common lot of mortals, and that the cleo
| ton of any man of such great age would
furnish no safeguard to the American
people against the disaster which would
ensue upon the death of a president with
a successor not competent to perform
the duties of the presidential office. It
is common experience that very aged men,
however bright and active they may ap-
| pear for brief periods, cannot sustain
/ long continued severe exertion. The de-
mands of the presidential office upon the
mental and physical vitality are SO great,
1 SO continuous and so exhausting as to be
wholly beyond the capacity of any man
1 of IS.
Ability of Nominee.
The attempt by such man to perform
the duties of the office would with prac
teal certainty be speedily followed by a
complete breakdown both Of body and of
mind In contemplating the remote pos
slo1l1ty OF the election of the democratic
candidate for vice president, the people
| OF the country are bound to contemplate
also as necessary result of such an
election in case of the presidents death
that others, not chosen by the peonle
A ana we know not who, would govern In
j the name OF a nominal successor unable
1 nlnsef to perform the constitutions
4 aulles OF MS OFFICE; or, worse still. that
/ serious doubt whether the vice president
mad not reached condition Of inability
within the meaning Of the constitution
4 would throw the title to the office nj
president into dispute.
Inc serious effect of such an event 111,or
the government and upon the business
4 interests and general welfare of the coun-
| ny, ana the serious effect even of the
/ communal menace of such an event must
i be apparent to every thoughtfuI mind
i II your election, on the other hand. this
chlef requirement will be fully met Tn
the Iull strength of middle life, YOU are
prepared for the exhausting duties ~
the presidency. Your successful and dis.
.rigulsneo. career the ability and probity
yyfD11 1o1v1 =. f. 49,