The Adair County news. [volume] (Columbia, Ky.) 1897-1987, 1905-02-08
where Would We Be CAR!

ately after they had taken Tie odCn VI
office and before there was, officially,
anv-cabinet, who would succeed to the
Office of chief executive?
Suppose the newly elected president
were republican in politics, and the out
going administration were democratic,
would the democrats retain control un-
der the aforesaid circumstances, or
what would happen?
1. erand other Neutrality-suspicious.
are suggested in recent report made
bvthe house committee on election of
the president. The bill uponswhich the
report is based does not deal withSthese
questions, but simply adds the secretary
of agriculture and the secretary OF COM
merce and labor to the presidential sue
cession. which under the present law,
runs down through the cabinet in the
order of the establishment of the exec
utive departments. These two depart
ments having been added since the en-
actment of the original Jaw, the change
made bv the bill under consideration is,
of course. necessary and right.
The committee takes advantage OF
the opportunity to call the attention OF
congress to certain inadequacies in the
presidential succession law.
The law provides for succession IN
case of removal, death, resignation or
inability of both the president and vice
president who the committee
asks .'would determine the determined
the question of inability on the part
of president, and when such inability
ceased?'' The committee thinks it is
not clear, moreover, if an election were
ordered in case of vacancy in the pres
idential Office, whether it would be for
the unexpired term or would have to be
for term of four years, thus disar-
ranging the four-year period of the gov
eminent.
IF a president-elect were to die be-
fore becoming president, would the
vice president-elect be president for
the term?'' the committee tasks. A
gain, 'rf a president-elect and vice
president-elect should both die prior to
taking their Offices would the:.cabinet,
officers appointed by the outgoing pres
ident succeed, in the order named in the
present law when the new term began?
Suppose the democratic candidates for
president and vice president hads been
elected at the last electionya had died
before new cabinet officers had been
confirmed, would the present republican
cabinet officers be in line of success
ion?''
The committee says there is no easy
answer to any of these questions.
Another interesting hypothetical case
put in this connection is this: The ex-
listing law provides that in case the sue
cession shall devolve upon any of the
persons named in the law, if congress
be not in session and would not meet
within twenty days thereafter, then
the person upon whom the duties of
the office devolve shall by proclamation
convene congress in extraordinary sess-
ion, 'giving twenty days notice Of the
time of meeting" Conld he give more
than twenty days notice? Ought he
not be required to call congress togeth-
er in twenty days in no uncertain Ian
guage? Or rather, should not the COM
ing together of congress in such case
be made to happen certainly, and not
be dependent upon the proclamation of
the person succeeding to the duties Of
the presidency?
All of which seem to indicate good
deal of uncertainty about matter
which, of all matters in our form of
government, should be beyond doubt.
While the peculiar emergencies contem-
plated by the members of this commit
tee might never arise, still the law
should certainly provide for the proper
meeting of every possible emergency
MKTS0N.
The people of this neighborhood
are fixing for a large tobacco
crop. A. S. Stapleton, M. E.