Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-10-31
NO PLANS FORMULATED.
Official Discussions in Connection With
Vice Presidential Possibilities.

New York, oct. 2e.-The death OF
| Vice President Sherman gives point
| TO the serious discussion Of the ques-
| ton of his successor. There is no pro-
vision of law for filtiag vacancy
| caused ty the death ~ retirement of
| "A Vice President, bu: NJ. sherman
vas a candidate for reelection, and
| the possibility of his death prior to
the election or prior to the action to
| be taken by the electoral college, in
January, gave much concern.
1t would not be found necessary
| to make any change in the ballots al
ready printed and in process of dis
tribution to the polling places, for no
vote is cast directly for the Vice
| President Electors are chosen to cast
1.-THE ballots of their constituents for
candidates for President and Vice
President and while there is a moral
obligation resting on those electors to
support the nominees of the party,
the instructions are merely directory
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 uader the name of Taft and
sherman" and Mr. Sherman should
then be deceased. The death of Mr..
Sherman will, of course, relieve
them, if elected, from the moral obli-
cation to vote for him, and the ques-
ton which will arise will be
whom they shall vote for in his place.
As it is a party matter, and the gov
erning body in the party is the Re
publican National committee, it would
be the proper function of that COM
mittee To meet and recommend to them
"a candidate for Vice President to be
voted for by them.
1t will be essential to have con-
certed action in either of two con-
tingencies-First, if the Republican
ticket is successful and, second, if the
election should be thrown into the
House of Representatives.
The National Republican committee
delegated to its National committee
power to fill vacancy on the ticket,
but it is known that the committee
win not be assembled at this time.
Should tie Republican ticket receive
"a ma jority of electoral votes and Mr..
6tltiiildi dedlil plt1cdiil5 al iitNlIiAs,
of the electoral college, the importance
of securing Vice Presidential can
didate is evident, but if, next Tues
day, no Presidential electors receive
majority of electoral votes then by
the Constitution the election will be
thrown into the House OF Representa-
tives and the candidates 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 present constituted will be
unable to make a decision, because
the states vote as a unit, and not
more than one-nalf of the states are
represented in Congress by Democratic
fore, go to the Senate, whose duty is
to select Vice President. The Senate
is limited i'll its choice to those two
candidates who receive the highest
number of votes for Vice President in
the electoral college. If it results, on
Tuesday. that the decision rests with
Congress, the selection of the candi-
date for Vice President has the ut
most importance because the Demo-
Gratis are in minority in the present
Senate andy the chance is that the
members The decision, WILL there
Republican candidate for Vice Presi-
dent thus selected is made Vice Presi-
dent by the Republican vote in the
Senate and thus succeeds to the Pres
idency. 4ai
Already there has been discussion of
the availability of Gov. Hadley, Gov.
Deneen. Senator Borah, Senator Cum
minis, Senator La Toilette, Former Vice
President Fairbanks, Senator Root,
Senator Burton. Senator Lodge, Gov.
Goidsborough and others.