Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-06-13


1--WE times the Vice President has
Il succeeded to the presidency At least
one such succession proved TO be public
calamity. Many times the death of 'hc
President would have exposed the nation
to rank incompetency In the Executive
cITice.
at no time since the present method of
electing the Vice President came mo
vosue has the office attracted men of the
| first rank Webster would not accept It,.
and It was forced down the throat Of
| Tho dore Roosevelt. 1t Is obvious that
Mr.. Fairbanks feels that he Is making
tremendous sacrifice to accept the nom
nation. The st. Louis convention is not
seeking candidate for the office who IS
Of pi esidential size. Yet only one life
stands between the Vice President and
tie Chief Magstracy. 1t Is, therefore,
an office of tremendous potential i'm
portance. But it's actual functions are
Vt sc incidental and trivial character
that the exercise of them is revolving
to men of ability initiative and states
mcnlike qualities.
Moreover. the Vice President under our
system Is no more intimately acquainted
with the aims and purposes of the Ad.
mniStration than the merest onlooker
He is not in the confidence of the Presi.
dent, and he is not an important cog in
the COVE, nmental machinery He may
be called on at moments notice to be-
come the directing head of the Govern
ment, although he is absolutely unframed
and unpi epared for the efficient exercise
OF his duties.
When the Constitution was adopted
and the duties of the Vice President es-
tablished. candidate for the presidency
invariably became Vice President, be
cause the man receiving the second high
est number OF votes In the Electoral Col
lese for President was thereby elected
Vice President. There was no need, in
such circumstances, to make the office
of such Importance that great men would
seek it. They could not become candi
,lates for the presidency without thereby
becoming candidates for the vice presl-
dercy also. But with the change in the
method Of election and no corresponding
change TO make the vice presidency at
tractive. the office fell into disrepute, and
in disrepute 1t still is.
Tho most important officer of the Gov
erninent, aside from the Chief Magis-
trate himself, is the Secretary of State.
This is recognized by the constitutional
provision that in the event of the in
capacity of the President and the Vice
President the Secretary of State succeeds
to the PIE sidency In this era of widening
aforementioned raspnpeihiIittns fhn inn
portance of the office of Secretary of
State becomes increasingly great. 1t de-
mands the talents of our greatest states
men. yet. amid the decentralization at
tendant on political activity, it may be
prostituted to the payment of political
debts. and the nation thereby subjected
to such humiliation as it experienced re-
Gently during the tenure of Mr.. Bryan.
Why not assure high talents in the
office of the Secretary of State and at the
same time make the vice presidency a |
lodestone for men of superior abilities |
by constitutional amendment providing |
that the Vice President shall be, by virtue
of his office, Secretary of State? Why |
not, by this method, bring 1t about that |
the successor to an incapacitated Presi- |
dent shall be a man trained to perform |
the functions OF the office, man versed |
In all the policies of the Administration |
and amply qualified on the briefest notice
to take up the duties of the presidency?
There are. 1t is true. some obvious OBJ
jections to this plan. but they are almost
trivial in comparison with the advantages
TO be gained There have been scores Of
Isrns and theories and utopian fancies
brought 10 the front In recent years as
plausible political programs, but we doubt /
II any proposal has in it such wealth
Of possibilities for good and of protection
against incompetent national direction as
this simple device TO assure superior Sec
retaries of State and at the same time
attract to the vice presidency men worthy
Of that conceivably great office.