The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1908-07-15
BRYAM'S PERSONAL PLATFORM.
GIVES HIS OPINIONS IN AN AID
IlCLE WRITTEN FOR COL
LIER'S.
lmnks Vice President Should he a
MEMBER OF the Cabinet Ex-Oficio
IN Order to Prepare for Possible
Vacancy.

In Order to Prepare for Possible
Vacancy.
New York, July 13.-Wiliam Jen-
nings Bryan, the Democratic nominee
for president, has written an article
entitied, MY Conception of the Presi
dency," for the July 1S issue of COL
liers Weekly. Mr.. Bryan says:
'The presidents power for good or
Tor harm is often overestimated. Our
government is government of checks
and balances; power is distributed
among different departments and each
omcial works in concert with others.
In the making Of laws, for instance
the president joins with the senate
and the house, he may recommend but
ne isspowerless to legislate. except as
majority Of the senate and the house
concur with him. The senate and the
house are also independent of each
otheT each having a veto over the
others and the president has a veto
over both; except that the senate end
house can by a two-thirds vote, .yer-
ride the presidents veto. The inf1u-
ence OF the president over legislation
is therefore limited; he shares respon-
sibiliV with a large number of the
peoples Representatives. Even in the
enforcement of law he is hedged about
by restrictions.
He acts through an attorney gem
eral (whose appointment must be an
proved by the senate,) and ofrenses
against the law must be prosecuted in
the courts, so that here again respon-
sibility is divided. In the making of
important appointments he must con-
suit the senate, and is of necessity
compelled to exercise care and dis
crimination. The most important
requisite in president, as in other
ofhcials, 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 judge--deciding be-
tween the opportunities of those who
seek favor and the rights and inter-
ests OF the public. Unless his sym-
pathies are right, the few are sure to
nave an advantage over the many,
Tor the masses have no one to pre-
sent their claims. They act only at
elections, and must trust to their rem
resentatives to protect them from all
their foes. Secondly, the president
must have a knowledge OF public
questions and the ability to discern
between the true and the false.
ne must be able to analyze the condi-
tions and to deter the sophistries that
are always employed by those who
seek unfair advantages.
He must possess the moral cour-
age to stand against the influences
that are brought to bear in favor Of
special interests. In fact, the quality
or moral courage is as essential in a
public officer as other right svmna-
thies or a trained mind.
"A president must have counselors
and to make wise use of counselors
he must be open to conviction. The
president is committed by his plat
form to certain policies and the plat
form Is binding; he is also committed
to certain principles of government
and these he is in duty bound to an
ply in all matters that come before
him. But there is wide zone in which
he must act upon his own Judgment
and here he ought to have the aid of
intelligent, conscientious and faithful
advisers. The law provides these TO
certain extent In giving him a cab
met and the vice president oneb+ to
De made member Of the cabinet ex-
ofhcio, 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
or the president in case of a vacancy
IN the presidential office. There
ought to be cordial relations also be-
tween the president and those who
occupy positions of influence in the
coordinate branches of the govern
ment' 1or our government is not
one-man government, but a govern
ment In which the chosen representa-
tives or the people labor together to
give expression to the will OF the
voters.
But the presidency is the highest
position in the world and it's occupant
is an important factor in all national
matters. If he is devout believer