The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1916-06-22
THE NEXT PRESIDENT

The next President of the Unit
ed States will be Robert Lansing,
of New York, the present Secre-
ltary of State.
This is not i'm the nature of a
wild political prediction, nor is it
the inauguration of a boom for a
Democratic dark horse it is
merely the statement of fact
which. barring the death or resig-
nation of Secretary Lansing, is as
certain as anything can be.
Mr.. Lansing's term of office
does not depend upon the action
,,of Any political convention; it is
likewise irrespective of any pri-
mary or direct election. In point
of fact, it dates back to January
10, 1886. when Congress passed
an act providing that. i'm the event
iof the death, removal. resignation
or inability of both the President:
and ,he Nire-preSident of the
United States, the Secretary of
State shall act as President.
March I, 1917. will fall upon IL
Sunday. and it is contrary to all
prccedent--althOugh not in oppo-
sition to any law--tn hold AN in
auguration ON Sunday. Therefore
the incoming Chief Executive will
take the oath of office and COM
mence his term shortly after noon
on March 5. President Wilson'S
term commnnced at noon on
March ith, 1913; therefore. ac-
cOrding to the Constitution, which
defines the term of IA President as
-four years his tenure of office
will be over at noon Oh March I
and, even if he is elected to sue
ceed himself, he cannot take the
oath of office until noon on the
following day. Nice-President
Marshall, of course, is under the
same disability as the President.
Therefore the Secretary of State,
Mr.. Lansing will be President of
the United States for the twenty
four hours and some minutes
elapsing between noon on Sunday
March 4th, and the time that the
nav President takes the oath of
,,offs'.4 on the following day.
This brief term of office is not
a mere formality. 1t is an actual
occupation of the power of Presi-
dent. with all his authorities and
iprcrogatives. Mr.. Lansing -
"President Lansing" for the day
will be empowered to occupy the
White House. to issue pardons, to
attend to all the other business Of
which the Chief Executive has
con, rol. and to ride to the Capitol,
should he so desire, as the outgo-
ing President on Inauguration
Day.
Moreover. this is the first time
in the history of the nation that d
Secretary of State has had this
honor bestowed upon him and on
Iy the second time in the iiO
years of the existence of the
United United States that the Of
flee has been held by any one 9TH
er than the President or The Vice
President.
On January 10. 1886, Congress
passed the bill which provided for
he succession to the Presidency
through the Cabinet. commencing
with the Secretary OF State and
passing on through ih" Secretary
of War, the Attorney General, the
Postmaster General. the Secretary
of The Navy and the Secretary Of
the Interior. The other cabinet Of
fees rank in the order of their
establishment.
Since the foundation of the
government Cabinet officers at
the close of one Administration
have held over into new Admin
;istration until their successors
have been appointed and con-
lirncd and have qualified.
The tenure of Office act Of
March 2, 1867, reads: Every per-
son holding any civil office to
which he has been or hereafter
may be appointed by and with the
advice and consent of the Senate,
and who shall have become duly
iqualitied to act therein. shall be
,plllIllcu W nOlu Suc11 oIIcc uuIIiIS
tn" term for which he was ap-
pointed, unless sooner removed by
and with the advice and consent
/ of he Senate, or by the appoint
ment, with the like advice and
consent, Of successor i'm his
place"
The coming commission issued
by the President to Mr.. Lansing
specifies no term whatever. al
though it contains the phrase
during the pleasure of the Pres
idcnt of the United States for the
time being" The reasons for this
saving clause are quite apparent,
and the mention Of the name Of
IWilliam Jennings Bryan in the
message of the President to the
Senate causes one to wonder
whether the Commoner was aware
that. il he remained in office un-
til March 1 next, he would be the
twenty-ninth President of the
United States-if only for day.