Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1912-06-15
Of THE u. S. IS
IS DISREGARDED
Most Prominent Men Talked
of For Position Tried to
Escape Nomination.

even the generals great popularity did
not disarm the hostility felt in certain
quarters toward Van Buren, on ac-
count of his attitude toward the Unit
ed States bank and some supposed
arlstocratic leanings So In order to
make the path to the vice presidency
difficult n resolution was adopted that
"two-thirds of the whole number of
votes in the convention shall be neces-
sary to constitute n choice" Van Blu
rem carried off enough votes to secure
the nomination. and from that day to
this. although occasional attempts
have been made to get rid of the two
thirds rule, the party still clings to 1t
az traditional measure of safety.
Fate of Vice Presidents.
OF the twenty-seven vice presidents
of the United States six. or nearly one
quarter of the whole number. have
died in office, five are still living, elev-
en- were senators before they were
chosen vice president, two were SEN
ators before and after, and two en-
tered the senate for the first time aftei
retiring frofa the vice presidency.
More than once when a vice president
has succeeded president through the
latter's death in office the question has
been raised by constitutional sophists
whether the successor became presi-
dent actual. or only nominally. On
one such occasion leading newsps-
per insistet for awhile on styling him
the acting president" The constitu-
ton provides merely that in case OF
the removal of the president from Of
fee or his death resignation or inabil-
ity TO discharge its powers and duties
those powers and duties shall deyolve
upon the vice president
This provision is so broad as to leave
still unsettled the question whether the
presidency itself passes along with the
responsibilities falling to the lot of the
second in command 1t is easy enough
to answer that if the president dies
resigns or Is removed the man elected
president ceases TO be president and
as his successor. resworn as a prelim-
mary to take up the reins of govern
ment. the vice president becomes all
the president there is. In such sit
uation certainly no one would be in
position to contest with him the title
and rank any more than the compen.
sation of the higher office.
Unique Question.
But what happens when Mr.. Roose-
welt goes to Panama or Mr.. Taft to
Mexico? What happens when presi
dent steps aboard a foreign warship in
one Of our ports or returns the ceremo.
NAL call of distinguished visitor in
Washington, not at his hotel, but at
the embassy of his sovereign? In any
of these instances, no matter how short
his stay. the president puts himself
actually or constructively outside OF
the jurisdiction of the United States
and could not perform under the for.
eign flag Il presidential function which
would be technically valid In those
intervals do the powers and duties OF
the president devoive automatically
upon the vice president and return.
also automatically. TO the president rs
soon as his disability ceases to exist?
Undoubtedly. were II serious case TO
arise under such circumstances, re
quiring instant action by the chief ex-
ecutive officer of our government, the
vice president would be justified in act
ing. The same would be true if the
president were stf1Ttren down with an
illness which deprived him Temporal
rily of his bodily or mental powers.
Seat at Cabinet Table.
And this calls up the fact that a
great deal has been said for and
against a proposal to give the vice
president regular seat ut the cabinet
table The principal arguments raised
against 1t hinge on the circumstance
that there is no separate portfolio
which could properly be assigned to
him and hence tnat he would have no
independent administrative duties;
that he would be a nondescript among
functionaries with well defined spheres
of activity. stranger in the midst of
an official family circle. a single idler
in a group of busy men. Against these
objections is set up the idea that by
virtue of his Office he is supposed TO be
an understudy TO the president always
prepared to take the latter's place at
an hours notice; that, in order to do
this acceptably, he must be In con-
slant touch with what his chief is do
ing and understand the motives actu-
ating every item in the administrative
program.
The detached attitude of the vice
president toward the rest of the adj
ministration may not be chiefly ac-
eountable for the sighting regard in
which his office is commonly held. II
he attended the cabinet councils. even
though only as a spectator aud COM
mentator and without having any vote
or other direct responsibility, he would
he in a better position TO serve as an
Interpreter for the administration when
necessary could consult with the ad
ministration's spokesman in the senate
and could. like The heads of the execu-