The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-11-01
Indications Are That Repub- licans Need Not Name
 Another Candidate
MIR. KNOX DOES NOT
 SUCCEED TO PLACE
MT. Harding Points Out Situation Which Might Arise Whereby President Taft Could
 Succeed Himself

l While 1t Is thought by men of experi- ence in public life that no complication will result from the death of Vice Presi- dent sherman there Is naturally some discussion among students of American institutions relating to possibilities that rnigbt arise. A representative of The Age-Herald sought the views of a few prominent citizens bearing on the na- tional situation.
 sydney J. Bowie. who represented the Fourth Alabama district in the Fifty seventh. Fifty-eishth and Fifty-nirith Congresses, said that he was distressed 10 learn of the death of Vice President Sherman. T knew him well during a pe- riod of six years" continued MT. Bowie. He was known as Sunny Jim and had as many personal friends as any man in the House of Representatives. Of course, he was always with the regulars and al ways generally classed as a reactionary He was, however man of excellent dis position and habits and personally of firfe character.'
 No Serious Complications
 MT. Bowie in discussing the political bearing of the vice presidents death said:
 There will be no serious complica- ton growing out of his death Contrary to the general impression we do not vote for President or vice president, but for electors, who in turn some months after the election in November meet in their respective states and vote for the candidates of their party. In this in- stance, as the party candidate is dead. the republican national executive committee will probably recommend to the Taft eec- tors. if there are any, some one to deo- crate with empty compliment of their votes for vice president.
 Such person would get very few votes, and possibly none at all. The next vice president of the United States will be Thomas R. Marshall. the democratic nom- nee, and 1t makes very little difference for whom the few republican electors vote.
 Electoral College Useless
 ''The electoral college system has been very much criticized and seems to be pretty useless piece of machinery It has not however. done any particular harm, and there has never been an in- stance where an elector voted contrary to the instructions received from the Ieople at the ballot box, although that, of course. is always possibility While there are so many other matters of greater importance in the way of consti- tuticfal amendments pressing upon tue people, 1t does not seem especially profit able to discuss a reform in that partic- Glar device at this time.
 "Should the people ever decide to amend the constitution with reference to the cleo ton of President and vice apresident, 1t is probable that they will Still vote by states, but vote direct for the candidate for President and vice president in each state, and allow the states the right to cast for the man receiving the plurali- ty vote in that state, the number of votes corresponding with the number of it's representatives and senators Should that device be adopted, it would seem to be necessary to have some agency to cast tho vote of the states, but it should be cone automatically. and there should be no option left in any individual The vote should be compulsory for the man receiving the plurality vote in the state or Congress should count the votes by states and declare the result"