The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1912-11-07
VACANCY ON TICKET.
lot Necessary That it be Filled at All.

Not Necessary That it be Filled at All.
Washington, Oct. 80. Political lead
ers today discussed the effect upon the
Republican ticket should death cause
vacancy for the vice presidency, as then
seemed certain The situa ton was out-
lined as follows:
If his death should occur prior to the
election, it would not be necessary to
make any change in the ballots already
printed and in process of distribution to
the polling places, for no vote is cast d.
rectly for the vice president. Electors
are chosen to cast the ballots of their
constituents for candidates for President
and vice president, and while there is a
moral obligation resting on those cleo
tors to support the nominees of the
party, the instructions are merely di-
rectory and not mandatory. Therefore,
there will be no defect in the ballots to
be cast for the Republican candidates
for presidential electors, even though
they appear, as in some States, upon the
ticket under the name of Taft and
Sherman and Mr.. Sherman should
then be deceased. The death of Mr..
Sherman would Of course relieve them,
if elected, from the moral obligation to
vote for him, and the question which
would then arise would be whom they
should vote for in his place. AS it is a
party matter, and the governing body in
the party is the Republican national
commit ee, it would be the proper func-
ton of that committee to meet and
recommend to them candidate for vice
president to be voted for by them.
1t would be essential to have concert
ed action in either of two contingencies
first, if the Republican ticket is sue
cessful and, second, if the election
should be thrown into the House OF
Representatives.
The national Republican convention
delegated to its national committee
power to fill vacancy on the ticket,
but it is known that the committee will
not be assembled at this time.
Should the Republican ticket receive a
majority of electoral votes, and Mr..
Sherman's death precede meeting of
the electoral college, the Importance Of
selecting vice presidential candidate is
evident, but if, next Tuesday, no presi-
dental electors receive majority OF
electoral votes, then by the constitution
the election will be thrown into the
House of Representatives, and the can
didates to be voted for in the House by
States would be limited to those voted
for by electors in the electoral college
but the House as at pre- ent constituted
would be unable to make decision, be.
cause the States vote as unit, and not
more than one-half of the States are
represented in Congress by Democratic
members. The decision would, there
fore go to the Senate, whose duty is tt
select vice president. The Senate is
limited in its choice to those two candi.
dates who receive the highest number Of
votes for vice president in the electora
college. If it results on Tuesday thai
the decision rests with Congress, the
selection of the candidate for vice presi.
dent has the utmost Importance, because
the Democrats are in minority in the
present Senate and the chance is tina,
the Republican candidate for vice presi
dent thus selected is made vice presi
dent by the Republican vote in the Sen
ate and thus succeeds to the presidency.
Already there has been discussion o.
the availability of Governor Hadley,
Governor Deneen, Senator Borah, Sena.
tor Cummins, Senator La Toilette, form
er Vice President Fairbanks, Senator
Root, Senator Burton, Senator Lodge
Governor Goldsborough and others.