Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1920-12-23


more his relation to the man next to him7
Friends of American constitutional gov
eminent take great pleasure in the cleo
ton Of one who, instead Of theorizing
about American government, prefers to
act In harmony with It's constitution and
its traditions"
Even the New York Post which sup
ports Cox and is inclined to be cynical
about everything connected with the
coming Harding administration, finds
points to be commended In connection
with the naming Of Coolidge as the first
member of President elect Harding's
cabinet. Tho Post says.
In spite of his call for a return to
'normalcy' in governmental practices
Senator Harding is proving himself some
thing of precedent breaker. His an
nouncement that Vice-President Cool
idge, as 1t will be after March 4. is to be
an ex-officio member Of the cabinet. while
not so spectacular a step as President
Wilson's appearance before Congress TO
read his messages, Ia no less significant
custom Of sending messages to be read
to the two hanses by their respective
clerks forecast the personal direction Of
affairs which won such triumphs as the
establishment Of the federal reserve sys-
tenn and the repeal Of the Panama canal
tolls law but which in the end aroused
violent resentment. President elect
Hardings announcement fits in with his
advocacy Of the opposite course. a pro-
gram Of constant consultation with off,
ciai and unof1ci advisers.
Various reasons have prevented earlier
presidents from making use Of the vice
president. First Of all. there is the deli
cacy Of the general relation between an
official who is elected to govern and an
official who is elected to do nothing ex-
cept be ready to take the other mans
place " anything should happen to him.
Then the vice-president stands upon very
different ground from member Of tho
cabinet. The latter Is a mere appointee
of the President. who in the event of a
fundamental divergence Of view between
them can ask for the cabinet members
resignation. No such course is possible
with the vice. president. An even greater
often owe their nomination to the cir
cumstance that they represent a rival
faction in the party. The vice -presiden-
tial nomination is apt to be consolation
prize. Imagine Roosevelt in 1905 inviting
Fairbanks to participate in cabinet dis
cussions! The nearest approach we have
ever had to any such arrangement was
made by Mckinley, who found Hobart s
tact and discretion useful in dealing with
senators.
Senator Harding has not been daunted
! by any obstacles, real or fancied. Gov
ernor Coolidge. on his part, whatever his
Views are upon so important a matter
as the treaty and the league has from
the beginning deferred to his chief. Thus
cooperation has been easy. Tho vice
presidents one constitutional duty in or
binary times. that Of presiding over the
Senate. will not interfere with anything
that may be required of Mr.. Coolidge
In his new post of adviser to the Presi-
dent. Vice-presidents as a rule soon be-
come bored with presiding and hand over
the privilege to the president pro tenn
| Nothing stands in the way, therefore. OF
a trial Of the interesting experiment thai
Senator Harding has planned"
The former President William \
Wheeler of Malone. n. Y, when con-
graduated on his nomination as the run
ming mate of President Hayes, declared
SHELF This view Is substantiated il
part by the present utterance Of the
Post.
Be all this az it may, President elect
Harding evidently intends to profit from
the manifest good sense and political
wisdom of Calvin Coolidge. II Coolidge
stays in the cabinet four years. 1t will be-
come a precedent in more ways than one
and It may find reflection later on in some
change in the nations organic law as to
the duties of the vice president of the
United States.