The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1908-07-17
TALKS OF PRESIDENCY
WHAT WHITE HOUSE OCCUPANT
MUST BE AND HAVE.
Democratic Nominee for President
Contributes an Article to Golfers
Discussing the Office.

VIM. ]. Bryan, the Democratic no.
minee for President, has written an
article entitled "My Conception of
the Presidency" for the July 18th
issue Of Golfers Weekly. Mr.. Bry-
an says:
THE Presidents power for good
or for harm is often overestimated.
Our Government is a Government
OF checks and balances; power is
distributed among different depart
ments, and each official works in CO.
operation with others. In the max
ing Of laws, for instance, the Prusi-
dent joins with the Senate and House.
He may recommend, but he is power
less to legislate except as !. majority
of the Senate and House concur with
him, The Senate and the House are
also independent of each other each
having a veto over the other, and
the President has veto over both;
except that the Senate and House
can, by a two-thirds vote, override
the Presidents veto. The influence
FOf the President over legislation is.
therefore, limited. He shares re-
sponsibility with a large number of
he peoples representatives. Even in
the enforcement of the law he is
hedged about by restrictions. He
acts through an Attorney General
(whose appointment must be approv-
ed 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
he must consult the Senate and again
of necessity be compelled to exercise
care and discrimination.
1.-The most important requisite in
President, as in other officials, is
that his sympathy shall be with the
whole people rather than with any
fraction of the population. He is
constantly called upon to act In the
capacity of a Judge-deciding be-
tween the opportunities of those who
seek favors and the rights and in
terests of the public. Unless his
sympathies are right the few are sure
to have an advantage over the many
for the masses have none to present
their claims. They act only at cleo
!
sentatives to protect them from all
their foes.
Second, the President must have
knowledge of public questions and
the ability to discern between ne
true and the false; he must be able
to analyze the conditions and to de-
tect the sophstries that are always
employed by those who seek unfalr
advantages. He must possess the
moral courage to stand against the
Influence that are brought to bear
in favor OF special interests. In fact
the quality of moral courage IS as
essential in a public Official as 10
either right sympathies or trained
mind.
"a President must have counsel
lors and to make use OF counsellofS
he must be open to convictions. The
President is committed by his plat
form to certain policies and tho plat
form is binding; he is also commit
ed to certain principles of Govern
ment and these he is in duty bouno
to apply in all matters that come pe-
fore him. But there is wide zone
in which he must act upon MS 1uas-
ment and here he ought to have the
aid of intelligent, Conscientious ana
faithful advisers. The laws provides
these to a certain extent. In giving
him a Cabinet and the Vice tresi-
dent ought to be made member OF
the Cabinet exofficio, in order, brst
that the President may have the bene-
fit of h., wisdom and knowledge or
affairs: and second, that the vice
President may be better prepared to
take up the work Of the president
in case of a vacancy in the Preslden-
tial office. There ought to be cordlaf
relations between the President ana
those who occupy positions OF lnnu-
ence in the coordinate branches OF
the Government, for our Government
is not one-man Government, but
Government in which he chosen re-
nresentatives of the people labor to-
gether to give expression to the Will
of the voters.
But the Presidency is the hishest
uostion in the world, and its occu-
nant is a factor in all national mat
ters. # he is devout believer III
orr theory of Government, recoglnz-
es the constitutional distribution OF
mowers, trusts thoroughly in the
people and fully sympathlZes WIN
them in their aspirations and hopes,
he has All opportunity to do splen-
did work. He occupies a vantage
ground from which he can exert
wholesome influence for each Tor
ward movement.
The responsibilities of the office
are so great that the occupant ought
; to he relieved of every personal am
hilton, save the ambition to prove
, worthy OF the confidence of his coun-
trymen: for this reason he ought 10
enter the position without thousht
or nrosnect of n second term; Whlle