Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-11-28

Tn. Presidential T.rm.
The late presidential election Ia. r., /
newed discussion Of the constitutional |
provisions affecting the tenure Of once Of
the chief executive.
zrea, many thoughtful persou. are
sssing Themselves the question. DO no,
prssideniiai elections come too frequent
~ For At least sir months ever four
Year, the entire country surreuders it.elf
; 70 one prolonged political debaach. Bus
ines. "a neglected aud The people sub.ti
tuie the choosing Of president for thelr
ordinsry oecupaiions TIE element Of
dis'rusl sls0 eatefs into the case. The
orators q each parry 30 literally predn,
disaster to the country should the other
party s30csed that iis no wonder trade I.
Affected and the edge Of cut rprise blur,
sd Business men know that the resuI, Of
tns election may b. he advent Into power
- OF s-esrty they have been laugh, 20 dis
trust aud iha. the policy Of the new al
ministraiion may De total reversal Of
that OF its Predecessor Hence they
hesitate 10 embark tn large undertsk
ings Chsuucey VI. Dspew. preaideb, CT
The NeW York Central railway. Ia. g.
umaiAd the loss caused. directly and IL
directly. by one presidential election a,
i've husdred million dollsrs. The sum
may cot Be- 20 huge a. that, bot ii il eer>
taiEi5 very large. Tie men who framed
the Constitution could have no conception
OF The present. coHdIti0n Of the United
ri4ies. At tina, lime, the entire internal
eommeros Of the country amounted to
bee 'nan the bqslness Of single hrrn, Ike
Armo1rs. Ct corporation Ike the Penn.
s1iysnis Central Then, too. ,heir Idea
o; what presidential election would b.
Ike wa far from. the reality. They sup-
Posed that the people world calmly and
= -qnAss-y choose their representatives. in the
electoral colleges, who in turn, after cue
deiiberation, would vote for the man
whom they considered beat fitted for the
Office. They could rot forsee that the
presidential electors would BE- bg; mere
dummies to register the viii Of party
Conventions, ueiiher could they i0rsee
tina, the tenure II l25 90 ofoes would
be affected thereby. They could have
had no idea d the mass Of newsUacer
argument, the food Of hysteric orstoyy
and the entire absorption 10 politics that
Ia the rtsuli Of presidential election. II
they had IL likely that they would have
adhered TO TIER original intention Of
making the presidential term sir or eigb,
year, aud ,bs incgmbent Ineligible 10 re-.
election.
Besides the above reason for lessening
the Frequency u elections. there ia snoth .
er Why the term should be extended 70
siI year,. -Four year. il not long enough
for az sfmioistratiCn 70 carry 70 q sue
cessful termination any well defined pol
icy. A considerable part Of the four
Year,, 'oo. is occupied b. the president
ia iamiHarizing himseif with rou,iae NAT
tsrs connected with BIZ great Office.
By common consent those Who urge a
frightening u the presidential term
uhile With il the proposition tha, the
presiden, be ineligible r. reelection. Tie
reasons that may be urged in behalf Of
this step are many and yzrioQs Proni.
nent among hem IL the independence ol
politicians and the petty arts Of the dem.
ARogge which president acquires Win
knows that under 10 circumstances car
be succeed himself 4 presidsn, VINO i
ineigibl 70 re election IS apt 70 give III
country Of his best. that Biz sdniuis,rs
ton may shine in history ~ brilliantly :
possible, President Cleveland alluded t,
another strong argument ia favor Of Oh,
iheilgbility d The chiet executive 70
reelection IN biz letter Of acceptance
where he spesks u the danger to th
country Of vast horde Of ofFiceholder
who are committed 10 the cause Of car
didsis for re-election by sense u grstl
tude for fsyors pag, and favor. vet /
come This danger must become create
as the country grows and the humber q
officshOlders indebted 70 the pre-,der
'oF their profitable places Increases.
There u much more wisdom IN Ii
present proDosition than there is ID u
generality Of attempts To revise The con
sl'ulioh, which srs commonly the q
uAitions of cr4rks HhD desire to :.
their hobbies immoraized 10 the organ
law