Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-01-18

ness it take an unspoken oath of al
1egiance to that great Constitution.
Appended to this report will be found
table showing the meteorological con-
dltionS on the days pertinent to the
proposed changes as well as official
data showing disease and deaths at such
periods.
Representatives Term Curtailed.
The amendment curtails the term of
the members of the House in existence
at the first general election after it's
ratification by changing the day of the
termination of said term and succeeding
terms from the fourth day of March
to the second Tuesday Of January. The
reason for this change is obvious, and
Helinis h impeI ati,e. Unde the pres
ent arrangement, the House chosen in
November does not begin its service
for thirteen months thereafter, although
the members draw their salaries from
the fourth of March next succeeding
their election.
During nine months after the election
under the present plan there is va
cancy in the speakership and other Of
GERS of the House. The successors OF
members are elected while the incum-
bents have yet four months to serve prior
to the expiration of their terms on the
fourth day Of March, subsequent to the
general congress onal cleo ions. The pas
sage of important measures is frequent y
prevented by the certain termination of
the short session on the fourth Of March.
Many representatives have their efficiency
impaired at the short session because
their constituencies have refused to re-
elect them. and the people are often in
such contingencies represented by men
thus defeated who do not reflect their
views.
For instance, the Republicans carried
the congressional elections in 1855. while
the Democrats won in the elections OF
1890, and yet both the Mills and McKin-
ley congresses continued to legislate for
several months after their successors
were chosen. The Democrats carried
the congressional elections in 1910. and yet
the Republicans thus defeated in Novem-
1911.
IF the proposed amendment is submitted
and ratified the members elected In No
vemher would have two months to make
preparations for protracted absence from
home and the beginning of the service at
the capital. There We uld be no holiday
adjournment; the month Of December
would not be practically wasted as now.
The House would not be day without a
Speaker and officers as is now the case
for nine months: the representatives
would come fresh from the people, as
our fathers intended. and within two
months inaugurate the settlement Of is
sues upon which they were elected.
And the House chosen In November
would assist in counting the electoral
vote, as was done in the First Congress,
and as the founders of the Constitution
designed should be the case. In bringing
about these changes it is beyond contro-
versy that the desired result cannot be at
tanned except by curtailing through con-
stftutional amendment the term of office
of some future House Of Representatives.
It is certain that these reforms cannot be
instituted except by changing the organic
day.
Providing for Succession.
IT article XII Of the Constitution Is to
be amended, it Is beyond all question
that 1t should be SO amended as to pro-
vide for the omitted case in which there
may be no President or Vice President.
These cases are more numerous and
likely than is generally realized.
81. II the President-elect should die, it
is doubted by Story and all constitutional
writer's whether the provision for the
death Of the President would apply, and
whether an office not yet in existence
would devolve upon the Vice President
elect.
80 If no person should receive a. ma
iority vote for President, 1t is likely,
under our present system of election, that
there would be no majority cast for any
one Tor vice fTesiucHe III TIC eiectoTdl
college.
% There is no power granted by the
Constitution for Congress to provide by
law who shall act as President in case of
the death of the President-elect and the
Vice Prestdent-elect. We have lost three
Presidents by assassination. Life is al
ways uncertain. There is always real
and serious danger that both the Presi-
dent-elect and the Vice President-elect
may die or be disabled before they take
Office, and there should be power to pro-
vide by law for such a contingency.
"a. It is not at all impossible that we
shall see three or more strong parties
in this CONTEMPORARIES so strong that no
candidate either for the President or Vice
votes in the electoral college. 1t may
be possible also. that both the Senate
and the House OF Representatives may
be SO divided between these three or
more parties that an election may be pos
sible neither Of a President or Vice Presi-
ident It is only in the defense Of our
own existence that the 'aw should pro-
! vide who shall act as President In such
a continaeucy. Otherwise government
would come to a standstill until the next
election. The courts only would continue.
There would be no executive. Congress
could not be called together In special
session. Laws could not be passed even
at the next regular session because bill
could not be presented to the President
as required by the Constitution (article
| /, section z, paragraph . before 1t be-
came a law The committee therefore
added to article XII, the following:
Presidential Succession Amendment
I'm all cases not provided for by article
., clause S, Of the Constitution. where
there is no person entitled to discharge