w, being more or less keenly
interested in the issue, and the preparations leading up to it. They
seem to put everything else in the shade, and to give more attention to
this than to anything else. Politicians and officials who have a
personal interest in the result, will devote their whole time and
energy to the work. Others who are less active, still, directly or
indirectly, take their share in the electioneering. Campaign funds
have to be raised and large sums of money are disbursed in many
directions. All this sadly interrupts business; it not only takes many
business men from their more legitimate duties, but it prevents
merchants and large corporations from embarking in new enterprises, and
so incidentally limits the demand for labor. In short, the whole
nation is practically hurled into a state of bustle and excitement, and
the general trade of the country is seriously affected. A young man in
Washington, who was engaged to be married, once told me that he was too
busy to think of marriage until the election was over.

If the French system were followed, and the President were elected by a
majority of the combined votes of the Senate and the House of
Representatives, the inconveniences, the excitements and expense above
enumerated might be avoided, but I think the people of America would
rather endure these evils than be deprived of the pleasure of electing
their President themselves. The alternate remedy, so far as I can see,
is to extend the presidential term to, say, six or seven years, without
any chance of a re-election. If this proposal were adopted, the
President would be more free and independent, he would not be haunted
by the bugbear of losing his position by temporarily displeasing his
political friends, he could give his undivided attention, as he cannot
do now, to federal affairs, and work without bias or fear, and without
interruption, for the welfare of his nation. He would have more chance
of really doing something for his country which was worth while. A
further advantage is that the country would not be so frequently
troubled with the turmoil and excitement arising from the presidential
election. If I were allowed to prophecy, I should say that the young
Republic of China, profiting by the experiences of France and America,
will most likely adopt the French system of electing its President, or
develop a system somewhat similar to it.

One of the defects in the American way of govern