Evening star., 1939-08-27
Reviews History Of
Executive Clushes
By Frederic J. Haskin.


ner which existed when the two first
came into office. That the two chief
statesmen of the Nation remain per-
sonal friends Is not questioned, but that
their political views are at variance on
some points is well known. Vice Presi-
dent Garner belongs to the Right Wing
Of the Southern Democrats and. 1t is
constantly asserted, is less than whole
hearted New Dealer
That there Is a definite campaign to
bring about the nomination OF Mr.. Gar
ner at the next Democratic National
Convention over Mr.. Roosevelt himself or
man of his special selection is an open
secret. Recently John l.. Lewis, head
Of the C. I. o., gave the Garner candi-
dacy popular boost by attacking the
| Vice President on the ground of his
personal habits, the sort of attack which
the American electorate usually resents
Lewis called him an "evii old man"
| Word reaches Washington that the
Garner henchmen, realizing that such
| an attack is calculated to win rather
| than lose support for candidate, are
| organizing Evil Old Man Clubs as Gar
ner organizations all over the country.
One son of the President openly had de-
clared his support of the Texans can
| didacy.
But this is very peaceable and mild
| division as between President and
Vice President, when compared with the
rivalries which existed early in the his
tory of the United States. One of these
became so bitter as to cause the resig-
nation of a Vice President, John C. CAL
houn, and this at period when a by
word of politics was that "few die and
none resigns
Rivalry between the President and the
Vice President started in the very first
administration. John Adams thought
that he should be first President. When
George Washington was stin a quiet
planter in Virginia. Adams was ac-
lively advocating the rebellion of the
colonies. He antedated Washington as
a Revolutionary leader He led the de-
bate which resulted in the Declaration
OF independence. True, he strongly sup
| ported the proposal in the Continental
congress to make Washington COM
mander in chief, but, throughout. he
was inclined to think of Washington as
soldier rather than a statesman and
OF himself as more fitted to head the
Nation once war had ceased.
AS Washington had become the idol
OF the Nation and remained so until
we'll into his second term when his pom
ularlty began to wane Adams bitterness
was not vocal, but the fact is clearly
attested historically that he and Wash
lngton never got along. They saw as
little OF each other as possible and, even
on of11cial matters dealt rather at arms
length
The electoral system was different
then. There was no question of NOM
lnations by party conventions. There
were parties, but no party systems and
no party discipline. The man who re-
ceived the highest number of electoral
votes was President and the man receiv
Ing the next highest was Vice President.
So it was inevitable that President and
Vice President should not be running
mates, as now, but rivals from the very
first.
The bitterest of all situations came,
however, when John Adams did become
President and Jefferson Vice President.
The basic economic rivalry of the dav
was between the planters and farmers
and the class unfortunately classed as
merchants. Adams, the New Englander.
was regarded as leader of the mer-
chant class while jefferson was the
leader of the planters, the farmers and
the frontiersmen.
Then came the bitter rivalry between
Jefferson, when he had become Presi-
dent and Aaron Burr. Here, again, it
was question of rivals rather than party
running mates being elevated to these
closely related Offices. One of the most
tragic chapters in American history
formed a part of the strife of politics of
that period when Burr shot Alexander
Hamilton in duel on the heights of
Weehawken.
The most notable case of rivalry be-
tween President and Vice President,
following the rise of the party system,
was that between President Andrew
jackson and Vice President John C.
Calhoun. Calhoun's story is fascinating
as 1t contains sort of embodiment of
the whole controversy, having founda-
tions on social and economic conditions.
which later tore the Republic asunder
in the throes of Civil War. controversy
which, to this day, shoulders IN the en-
bers OF many G ponticai issue.
John C. Calhoun came of Pennsvl-
vania stock, but he was born in South
Carolina His people belonged to the
class of small farmers or planters al
lied to the frontier After a brilliant
early career in his native State he was
elected in 1911 to Congress. 1t /. no.
table that while there he supported a
protective tariff and was a strong SUD-
porter of those doctrines which genera
tlons later came to be identified with
the Republican party.
Then came the turning point tn his
career. He married the daughter of
one of the ruling families of Charleston.
1t was a case of the small planter, prac-
tically q man Of the people marrying
into the great landholding and slave
holding aristocracy and, of all cities In
America, Charleston then probably was
most aristocratic. This altered CAL
houn's entire point of view. His politics