I have reported
this to the Senate several times. It has always passed that
body with scarcely a dissenting vote, on debate and explanation.
If that had been adopted, if the session were to begin in
the middle of November, a week after the November elections--
which could be accomplished by an act of Congress--instead
of thirteen weeks, to which the session is now limited, there
would be a session of twenty-three or twenty-four weeks. This
would give time for the consideration of such legislation
as might be needful. It would probably, also, permit the
shortening somewhat of the long session, which not infrequently
extends to July or August. But the plan has never found
much favor in the House. Speaker Reed, when he was in power,
said rather contemptuously, that "Congress sits altogether
too long as it is. The less we have of Congress, the better."
The public danger is found in the fact that there is no provision
in the Constitution for the case where the President-elect
dies before inauguration. The provision is:
"In case of the Removal of the President from Office, or
of his Death, Resignation, or Inability to discharge the
Powers and Duties of the said Office, the same shall devolve
on the Vice-President, and the Congress may by Law provide
for the Case of Removal, Death, Resignation or Inability,
both of the President and Vice-President, declaring what Officer
shall then act as President, and such Officer shall act accordingly,
until the Disability shall be removed, or a President shall
be elected.
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