The Washington herald., 1913-11-11
With the Political Procession.
BY =. B. G.

History is replete with Illustrations that
the people have been divested OF their
| rights privileges. and authority under
the specious plea OF serving the public
interests II has been sought by the
Democratic administration at Columbus
to take unto itself all the authority and
all the responsibility. While pretending
with loud vociferations to be In favor OF
home rule. and rule by the people, the
administration has been systematically
robbi1g the people OF their privileges and
authority, even proposing to take from
them the election of their local. town.
ship and county officers. In less than
years time there has been almost
complete overthrow OF popular govern
ment In Ohio and the substitution OF an
autocratic will Fortunately the Ohio
public has been wise enough to under
stand this movement. correctly interpre-
ted 1t as a grasping after power for the
enhancement OF the political fortunes OF
Gov. Cox. and has at the earliest op-
portunity resented this invasion Of their
ancient prerogatives.
OF course. when the select circle of
Gov. Cox's advisers and admirers In the
Ohio Congressional delegation observe
the observations Of Warrington they may
| ask with sarcastic infection II he has
4 failed to establish a friendly connection
with the new administration at Colum-
bus. which might be useful in his present
private business operations, but that
would worry Warrington much. and he
insists that next years campaign will
leave at home several Ohio members.
especially, favored by the Cox combina-
ton that fixed UP the new districts with
| selfish zeal for a few who aided the Cox
nomination and possibly deserved what
they got.
While William Henry Harrison Is
, credited with the shortest service as
President, he having lived but a month
after Inauguration, the biographers Of
d. r. Atchinson. Senator from Missouri,
claim for him the honor of having been
President for a single day without Of
ficial recognition or emolument. He
didn't care about the emoiument part,
but was tenacious in insisting that un-
der the Constitution he really was act
ing President Of the United States on
Sunday, March 4, 1913. and up TO the
swearing in Of President Zachary Tay-
lor the next day at noon. The Atchin-
son claim, and sustained by his ad-
mirers, was that. there being no Vice
President and Taylor with religious
Sunday, q vacancy existed with the ex-
piration Of the Polk term. SO that Atchin-
son, as President pro TEN of the Senate,
succeeded to the executive office.
The provision in those days was for
such a succession, and had Taylor died
or resigned before taking hold, Atchinson
would have been President sure enough.
One other President pro TEN OF the Sen
ate, Ben sWade, OF Ohio presided over
e., Tnh h..
ment trial, and had johnson been re-
moved the Presidency would have come
TO Wade, a contingency which gave him
few nervous thrills when the proceed
ings looked somewhat dismal to John
son.
Speaker Champ Clark's ideal political
leader OF days long gone was Senator
Thomas II. Benton. who was one " the
first two Senators from Missouri, when
admitted as a State. The Hon. Ch1mp's
admiration for the Benton blufr and
hard-hittinS political methods and su-
perb statesmanship through thirty yeaI
Of Senatorial service has moved him
to collect material for biography whicn
is nearing completion and will be pup
lished during the Clark eminence In
II will not only give long deferred
credit to the real greatness Of Benton
as an American statesman, but will be
a compliment to the State which has
honored both Senator and Speaker. ano
proud of them both. There were grants
in those days" when Benton first came
to the Senate and Speaker Clark has
not overlooked the ability Of those with
whom Benton crossed swords in debate.
There were William R. King, Of Ala
bama, later Vice President; Caesar Rod
ney, of Delaware; Richard NJ johnson,
OF Kentucky, and Rufus King, of New
York
Martin Van Buren, and James Buch-
anan, later on sent to the White
House, came from New York and
Pennsylvania
James Barbour was a big figure from
Virginia, and James d. Breckenridge in
the House from Kentucky. The Champ
Clark book will not overlook the great
ness or prominence of others, even If
they were opposed to his hero.
The incidental mention that Francis B.
Sayre, the prospective son-in-law Of the
President, is to take up college work at
Williams University brings in the name