The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-07-11
IN CASE OF DEADLOCK.
Secretary Knox May Become President
of the United States.

Washington July 11.-With three
presidential tickets this fall the possi-
bility that no one candidate can get a
majority vote in the electoral college
and possibility of deadlock in both
house and senate there is a chance that
Philander c. Knox, secretary of state.
may become president of the United
States under the law of succession
passed by congress after the assassi-
nation of President Mckinley.
This is capitol gossip founded on the
fact that the house is evenly divided
as to state political representation and
may deadlock on a choice for presi-
dent, while the senate may fail to elect
vice president through factional diff
ferences. With neither president nor
vice president elected or selected by
midnight March 8, 1913, the secretary
of state will become president as in
the event of the death of a serving
president and vice president.
"Vice President James S. Sherman
has no chance for the presidency in
the event of these conditions said
Representative Norris.
Should the house fail to elect a
president from among the three candi-
dates the senate under the constitu-
ton must make it's choice from the
two leading vice presidential candi-
dates. Mr.. Sherman will not be one
of these two. His ticket will be the
third ticket this fall
The Roosevelt ticket has not been
named but it is assumed the coloneI's
running mate will be a progressive Of
the radical stripe. If Judge Norris
and Governor Marshall will contend
for the senate vote for vice president.
The majority of the senate Republi-
cans are not progressives and they
would not vote for a progressive. The
Democrats will vote for Marshall. Then
Knoxs chance.
In the election of a president by the
house of representatives each state
has a single vote and the political ma
jority in the state delegation deter
mines for whom that vote is cast.
There are % state delegations in which
the Republicans have a majority, % in
which the Democrats have a majority
and four in which the Democrats and
Republicans are tied. These four are
Maine with two Democrats and two
Republicans; Nebraska with three
Democrats and three Republicans;
New Mexico with one Democrat and
one Republican and Rhode Island with
one Democrat and one Republican.
The states that would cast votes for
a Democrat are Alabama, Arizona, Ar
kansas, Colorado, Florida, Georgia. In
diana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississip-
pi Missouri, New Jersey, New Mexico
New York. North Carolina, Ohio, Ok
lahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee.
Texas, Virginia and West Virginia.
Total, %.
The states that would cast votes for
a Republican are California. Connecti-
cut, Delaware, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa,
Kansas, Massachusetts, Michigan, Min
nesota, Montana, Nevada, New Hamp-
shire, North Dakota, Oregon, Pennsyl-
vania, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont,
Washington, Wisconsin, Wyoming.
Total, %.
In so large a body of men as the
house of representatives there is every
probability that before next January
there will be one or more deaths; va
cancies will be filed and in this there
is the possibility of a change of polit-
ical complexion of some close delega-
ton. But considering that most of the
delegation are so divided now that a
single change in a particular state
would not change the result, this does
not offer strong probability of break
ing the tie in the house.