The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1908-07-24
BRYAN ON PRESIDENCY
Democratic Nominee Defines His
Idea of the Office.
BELIEVES IN ONE TERM.
Must Be In Sympathy With the Peo-
pIe-Declares Our Government Not a
One Man Affair-Favors Vice Presi-
/ dent as Elk Officio Cabinet Member.

William j. Bryan, Democratic nOmi-
nee for the presidency, has written
an article for Golfers Weekly on ''My
Conception of the Presidency" 1t
reads as follows:
1.-The presidents power for good or
for harm is often overestimated. Our
government is government of checks
and balances. Power is distributed
among different departments, and each
official works in cooperation with 9th
ers. In the making of laws, for in
stance. the president joins with the
senate and the house. He may rec
ommend. but he is powerless to legis-
late except as a majority of the SEN
ate and the house concur with him.
The senate and the house are also in
dependent of each other. each having
veto over the other, and the presi-
dent has veto over both, except that
the senate and house can by Il two
thirds vote override the presidents
veto. The influence OF the president
over legislation is therefore limited.
He shares responsibility with large
number Of the peoples representatives
Even in the enforcement of law he
i; hedged about by restrictions. He
acts through an attorney general, whose
appointment must be approved by the
senate. and offenders against the law
must be prosecuted in the courts, SO
that here, again, the responsibility is
divided. In the making of important
appointments. too, he must consult the
senate and is of necessity compelled
to exercise care and discretion The
dent rs in other officials. is that his
sympathy shall be with the whole peo-
pie rather than with any fraction of
the population. He is constantly called
upon to act in the capacity of a judge,
deciding between the opportunities
of those who seek favors and the
rights and interests of the public I'm
less his sympathies are right the few
are sure to have an advantage over
the many, for the masses have no. one
to present their claims. They act only
at elections and must trust to their
representatives to protect them from
all their foes.
THE president must have broad
knowledge of public questions and the
ability TO discern between the true and
the false. he must be able to analyZe
conditions and to detect the sOphis-
tries that are always employed by
those who seek unfair advantages. He
10 moral fO
stand against the influences that are
brought to bear in favor Of special in
terests. In fact, the quality of moral
courage is as essential in Il public Of
fetal as either right sympathies or a
trained mind
a president must have counselOrs
and to make wise use of cOunSelorS
ne must be open to convictions. The
president is committed by his platform
to certain policies. and the platform
is binding He is also committed to
certain principles of government. and
these he is in duty bound to apply in
all matters that come before him. But
there is Il wide zone in which he must
act upon his own judgment, and here
he ought to have the aid of intelli-
gent. conscientious and faithful adj
visers. The law provides these. TO Il
certain extent. in giving him a cab
met. and the vice president ought to
be made a member of the cabinet eX
Of1icio in order. first. that the presi-
dent may have the benefit of his wis
dom and knowledge of affairs and.
second. that the vice president may
be better prepared to take up the work
Of the president in case of vacancy
in the presidents Office. There ought
( to be cordial relations also between
the president and those who occupy
positions of influence in the cO-ordi-
nate branches of the government. for
our government is not a one man gov
eminent, but government in which
the chosen representatives of the peO-
PIE labor together TO give expression
to the will of the voters
But the presidency is the highest
position in the world. and its Occu-
pant is an important factor in all ma
tional matters If he is devout be-
lever in our theory of government.
recognizes the constitutional diStribu-
ton of powers trusts thoroughly in
the people and fully sympathizes with
them in their aspirations and hopes.
he has an opportunity to do a splendid
work. He occupies a vantage ground
from which he can exert wholesome
influence in favor of each forward
movement
THE responsibilities of the office are
so great that the occupant ought to be
relieved of every personal ambition
save the ambition to prove worthy of
the confidence of his countrymen. For
4 this reason he ought to enter the posi-
ton without thought or prospect of a
second term.
"While the burdens of such an of
fee are heavy and while the labors of
the Office are exacting and exhaustinc
the field Of service is large. and, meas
uring greatness by service, a presi-
dent, by consecrating himself to the