The Washington times., 1912-10-30
SHERMAN'S ILLNESS
PROVING A PUZZLE
TO- TAFT LEADERS
Question of Second Place on
Ticket May Cause
/ Trouble.

The grave illness of Vice President
Sherman is expected to be the sub
sect or a conference In New York today
between President Taft. National
Chairman Hilles, and other Repub!
tican leaders Should the Vice Presl-
dent die before the election Of Mo-
Vember 6. or, In fact. before the Elec-
tornl College meets the second Mon
ers viii have troubiesome problem
to solve with respect to a successor In
the candidacy for second place.
That Vice President Sherman. who
win let President Taft and the Re-
publican leaders know he is at their
disposal and Is willing to get off
the ticket at once is deemed likely
Should he die before the election or
get off the ticket. Governor Hadley,
pr MISSOURI. Senator Borah. OF Idaho.
licans are being suggested for second
place Whether any of these men
would take II is another matter.
Discussed by Cabinet.
Reports today Of tho growing weak
ness Of Vice President Sherman accen-
tuated the talk Of some other man
being put on the ticket as candidate for
Vice President. .... D. .,.'..
II was disclosed that the Cabinet
talked over the situation yesterday.
both with reference to the grave nature
10 the question Of a successor to him on
the ticket. r,.
Good reason exists for the belief that
the President and Cabinet talked over over
President Sherman the question whether
it woull not be better for him to retke
from the ticket. That this would be put
stated. But his condition may. preclude
any attempt to do 1t, as 1t might hasten
II the Republican leaders do choose
q man to go on the ticket on second
place as successor to Mr.. Sherman. the
Indications today point more strongly
than ever to Senator Borah Of Idaho,
Governor Hadley. or one Of the Pro-
The reasons for wanting a Republican
of Progressive trend are that the ma
tional Republican management is anx-
ious to strengthen the ticket. At the
same time, they want a man who will
get the united Republican support Il
The election of a Vice President should
30 to tho Senate.
Mere Matter of Form.
II the regular Republicans suffer
= smashing defeat at the polls next
Tuesday and the election is decisive
Of the Presidency, as II Is widely
believed II will be. then. the qustion
Of second place on the Taft ticket
becomes Of little Importance. It would
be . mere matter Of form. But SO
long as the election is not yet held.
ton 1G tae Of a Prsident r. Being thrown into
the House, with q deadlock there. the
question Of who has second place on
the ticket with Mr.. Taft is Important
the President. Or. II. when the cleo
tion is over, II IN seen the contest
will be carried to the House, then the
candidacy for Vice President Is a mat
So long as there remains any doubt
about who Is going to be President.
the Republican leaders will be impelled
to choose for second place to succeed
Mr. Sherman, II he should die or re-
sign from the ticket. some man who
can command the full Republican vote
of the Senate. The necessity for this
Is obvious. n the House cannot elect
President, then the man elected Vice
. President by the Senate will be the
And inasmuch as the Senate chooses
from the two men highest on the list
In the voting for Vice President in the
Electoral College. the regular Republ
port a man for second place who will
have the support Of all Republicans In
the Senate or the Democrats In the
Senate will elect Marshall for Vice
President
Will Seek Progressive.
Under such circumstances. the Re-
publican leaders will seek to center
their strength on some Progressive like
IIadley. Borah. possibly even La Fol-
1ette or Cummins-a man who will
command the votes Of regular Repub-
lican Senators and progressive Republi-
can Senators.
College has the power, II It chooses to
exercise It, OF selecting for Vice Presi'
dent the man It pleases. Technically
the expression at the polls November
tIoes not count II. therefore, the Re
publican voters should vote for Mr.
Sherman for Vice President next Tues
day. and he should either not be liv,
ing then or should die before the Elec
toral College met, the electors could
vote for any man they chose for Vice
But what would actually happer
would be that the Republican nationa
committee and the leaders would II
a conference pick on some man whom
the regular Republican electors woult
This would doubtless be done in an,
event II Vice President Sherman die,
before the Electoral College meets bu
II will be only formal matter. II tn,
results Of Tuesday next are decisive.
Speculation Over Outcome.
All sorts of speculation about the po
htical effect Of the death of the Vic,
President has been INDUCED since 1
was known his condition was critical
As matter Of fact, most of the talk 4
In the realm Of pure theory. 1t Is
question whether at this late day