PRESIDENTIAL SUCCESSION.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 21 September 1901, Page 4

PRESIDENTIAL SUCCESSION.

Something More About Colonel Roosevelt.

Asked by a representative of the Sydney “Evening News” as to arrangements for carrying on the Government in the event of the death of the President, Consul Baker said :

“That is all arranged, in view of the possibility of such a thing as the death of the First Citizen occuring at any time,” said Mr Baker. “ There is a VicePresident, upon whom the duties of the office will fall. The Vice-President at the present time is Colonel Theodore Roosevelt.” “ Will he be President for the remainder of the term for which Mr M'Kinlcy was elected, or merely until a fresh election can be held ?”

“ For the balance of the four years. No elections are held except at the fouryearly periods for which the Constitution .provides.” “In the event, then, of the Vice-Presi-dent also dying, • there is someone else upon whom the duties of tho office devolve ?”

“ Yes. There is a certain rotation provided for. There come, in turn, tho IJ.S. Secretary of State, the Assistant-Secre-tary of State, then tho heads of departments in certain order, and so on.” “ So that the United States could not be deprived of a President except by a general mortality among the lot of them within some particular period of four years ?” “ Exactly so.” “ How will the American public regard Colonel Roosevelt becoming President?” queried the reporter. “He is the man in whose honesty and integrity the American people as a whole have perfect confidence. But he is a different man altogether to Mr. McKinley, and probably would not be quite so popular. Ido is a man of a very positive and determined character, and once he makes up his mind to go a certain, way he’ll go there.” •‘Would he make any alteration in the personnel of his Cabinet?”

“There are indications that ho is not in perfect accord with the members of tho pi’csent Cabinet,” said Mr. Baker. “ Only a few months ago, for instance, there was some little difference of opinion between the Vice-President and Secretary of State, Colonel Hay, over the Isthmus business, the latter evidently not agreeing with the strong policy advocated by Colonel Roosevelt, who is essentially a strong man in las policy and methods. You remember how he sailed in at Santiago, at the head of his Rough Riders ? He is the sort of man who, under such circumstances, would boldly rush in in the face of very big risks, to secure a possible big advantage.’’

“Do you anticipate that the death of President McKinley would have any important bearing on international matters ? I suppose not ?” said the reporter. “Oil no,” was the reply “You see war cannot be declared except by a vote, of Congress empowering the President to make war, so that the President is always under a check in that respect.” “And, commercially, do you think that it would have any effect on the trade relations, of the United States with other countries, or on the internal trade of the country ?” “ It might have a temporary effect of a depressing character,” said Mr Baker. “Almost anything will make stocks go up or down a bit. But the effect would not be more than temporary, I feel sure.” “A considerable portion of the term of Mr M’Kinley's office has yet to run, has it not ? ” said the reporter. “Yes,” said the Consul, “nearly the whole of it. The elections, of course, took place in November last year. But the actual re-inauguration did not occur until 4th last —six months ago on Wednesday—so that there arc yet 3\ years of the term unexpired.” “Colonel Itoosevelt has aspirations in the directions of the occupancy of the White House, has he not?”

“So it has heen generally supposed. It was even stated that he hesitated to accept the office of Vice-President because it was popularly stated that no VicePresident had a chance of ever becoming President, none having ever done so. Now that Mr M‘Kinlcy is'dead, Colonel Koosevelt succeeds him for the remainder of the term, it will greatly strengthen his chances of election, I feel certain, for the next term.”