Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1908-08-14
BRYAN ON PRESIDENCY
Democratic Nominee Defines His
Idea OF the Office.
BELIEVES IN ONE TERM.
Mus. Be In Sympathy With the Peo-
pIe-Deelares Our Government Not a
One Man Affair-Favors Vice Prssi-
dent az Es Offieio Cabinet Member.

William ]. Bryan, Democratic nomi-
nee for the presidency, has written
un article for Golfers Weekly on My
Conception of the Presidency" II
reads as follows:
THE presidents power for good or
for harm is often overestimated. Our
government is Il 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 III
stance. the president joins with the
senate and the house. He may rec
ommend, but he is powerless TO leGis-
late except rs majority of the sell
ate aud the house concur with him.
The senate and the house are also III
dependent of each other. each having
a veto over the other, aud the presi,
dent has a veto over both, except that
the senate and house can 10y 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 lie
Is 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
most important requisite in preSi-
dent, as 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 judge,
deciding between the opportunities
of those who seek favors and the
rights and interests of the public. Tn
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
must possess the moral courage to
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 n public Of
fetal as either right sympathies or Il
trained mind.
"a president must have counselors
and to make wise use Of cOunselors
he must be open to convictions. The
president is committed by his platform
to certain policies. and the platform
Is binding. He is also committed tC
certain principles of government. ant
these he is in duty bound to apply fl
all matters that come before him. Bu
there is wide zone in which he mus
act upon his own Judgment, and here
he ought to have the aid of intelli
gent, conscientious and faithful ad
visers. The law provides these. to {
certain extent, in giving him cab
met and the vice president ought t.
be made a member of the cabinet e,
officio, 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 ma,
be better prepared to take up the worl
Of the president in case of a vacanc.
In the presidential office. There ough
to be cordial relations also between
the president and those who occup.
positions of influence in the co-ordi
nate branches of the government. fo
our government is not a one man gov
ernment but government in whicl
the chosen representatives of the pee
pie labor together to give expression
to the will Of the voters.
But the presidency is the highes
position in the world, and its occu
pant is an important factor in all ma
tiOnal matters. If he is a devout be
lever in our theory of government
recognizes the constitutional distribu
ton Of powers, trusts thoroughly il
the people and fully sympathizes wit
them in their aspirations and hopes
he has an opportunity to do splendi
work. He occupies vantage grOun
from which he can exert wholesom
influence in favor of each forwar
movement.
1.-THE responsibilities of the Office ar
10 great that the occupant ought to
relieved Of every personal ambition
rave the ambition to prove worthy 0
the confidence of his countrymen. Flo
this reason he ought to enter the pos
iion without thought or prospect of
second term.
while the burdens of such an OF
fee are heavy and while the labors @
the Office are exactirA and eXhaustins
the field Of service is large, and, meas
uring greatness by service, pres
dent, by consecrating himself to tn
public veal, can make himself secur
in the affections of his fellow citizen
while he lives and create for himself
permanent place in his nations hi
tory"
There are two directly opposite re,
sons why some people cannot obtat
credit. One is because they are nc
known and the other because they arr