154 The Campaign of 1896 



party in twain. It will be noted that most of these 

 evils arose from the fact that the Vice-President 

 under ordinary circumstances possesses so little real 

 power. He presides over the Senate and he has in 

 Washington a position of marked social importance, 

 but his political weight as Vice-President is almost 

 nil. There is always a chance that he may become 

 President. As this is only a chance, it seems quite 

 impossible to persuade politicians to give it proper 

 weight. This certainly does not seem right. The 

 Vice-President should, so far as possible, represent 

 the same views and principles which have secured 

 the nomination and election of the President, and 

 he should be a man standing well in the councils 

 of the party, trusted by his fellow party leaders, and 

 able, in the event of any accident to his chief, to take 

 up the work of the latter just where it was left. 

 The Republican party has this year nominated such 

 a man in the person of Mr. Hobart. But nomina- 

 tions of this kind have by no means always been the 

 rule of recent years. No change of parties, for in- 

 stance, could well produce a greater revolution in 

 policy than would have been produced at almost any 

 time during the last three years if Mr. Cleveland 

 had died and Mr. Stevenson had succeeded him. 



One sure way to secure this desired result would 

 undoubtedly be to increase the power of the Vice- 

 President. He should always be a man who would 

 be consulted by the President on every great party 

 question. It would be very well if he were given a 

 seat in the Cabinet. It might be well if, in addition 



