The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-03-10

ny JOHN ELrRErH WATKINS.


XVIANTED. by two great political
w parties. a dozen feet. Of there
abouts, OF good vice-presiden-
tial timber. A scant six feet may suf-
hce other party. or g. few inches over
the two-yard mark will do. for goof
measure. Quality. rather than volume
II tho chief desidcrutum. and fbrs
should test up to tho full standard fol
presidential material.
Citizen and factor in this widely
hcrnlded contest for tho honor OF rul
Ing over us. why IL your interest ir
presidential possibilities exceeded only
by your apathy regarding possible nth
wheels TO the Coach OF State? Why
are you satisfied to read a hundred
columns OF presidential representation
10 one stick of presidential for ,.
cast! Amidst all of this bonn bilatloE
about preference primaries and In.
s'ructcd delegations. have you heard
one mcasl% squeak ancnt popular
choice fur the exalted and ail-import-
ant Office OF heir apparent OF your
realm? because you would have
right arm that Is sinewy and strong
is That reason for Indifference that
your left arm lacks blood and nerrcf
ASK any politlcian--whcthcr OF the
peanut or the real statesman brand
his preference for The head OF the party
y
ha!r.trisger. Question him as TO his
choice for second place aud his tongue
cicaves TO the roof OF his mouth.
while his hand takes. with vigor. TO
head scratching
The sad truth IS that the fathers of
the republic invented II far better
scheme for choosing Vice Presidents
than we have now--thnn VIC nave had.
since We tried 10 improve this cog OF
Dur election machinery: and such Ell
cient NTH wheels as VIC have since
dashed behind the Coach OF State have
been wrought more by good luck than
by good management
Our early We Presidents were chos-
an in this Wise: Each member OF the
electoral college" cast two ballots.
each for separate member of his
party. When the final choice WAS made
no having the hgheat majority of votes
was proclaimed as President while he
receiving the second highest majority
was proclaimed as Vice President. This
old scheme had its faults. but COM
pared with that in present use II was
ihc less Of TWO avis. 1t supplied the
country with ice-Presdcnts VI pres
:dent!al timber. Their consequences
that they were, In fact. the second
choice of their paTtisans for the high
IS, office placed premium upon their
title and rendered them proud Of their
office. as would be said in the classics,
they were near Presidents" Compa-
tent understudied they were 10 the star.
and bright prospects they had OF hav-
ing his dressing room assigned TO them
At tho expiration Of his contract. In
those days no hamfattcr unknown to
IN. audience. but possessed OF pull
with the management. lurkcd In tho
wings. waiting to don the sock and
bnsk.n Goned BY a disabled leading
man. Had any such outrage been at
tempted the intruder would have got
ten tho hook which instrument Of
popular disanproval was later TO reach
out for Tyler and Johnson. under
studies selected By the more modern
process.
Vice Presidents in those ante-Jack-
son!an tim.s did not awaken with the
birds that they might sneak down,
harcfooted and shivering, al dtwn. to
grab the morning paper from the news
boy and eagerly scan tho bulletins re-
porting the Chief Magistrates health.
Nor was their vultur: gaze wont 10
stick upon the presidential physiogno-
my and search !, for symptoms
Death or disability of their chief did
not offer them their sole chance OF
succeeding him. Thar undIsputed stat
us as second gentleman OF the land"
gave mem far brighter prospect OF
clipping into his boots. AS long as the
original scheme lasted the vice-presi-
dency proved 10 b. a vestibu,e TO the
presidential office except In the case
of Burr. who had tied the presidential
vote with Jefferson. thus proving that
In the estimation OF his party he was
then man OF full presidential fibre.
Then the scheme was altered somewhat
by the twelfth amendment to the Con-
stitution. providing that the electors