Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1888-05-03
AecVr aEcoNp TERMS.

why Mr.. Cleveland Could and Would Not
Refuse REORGANIZATION.
Mr.. Cleveland does not believe in
second terms. He does believe. how
ever, in unhesitating submission to the
constitutional will of the majority after
it has been declared in forms pre-
scribed in the con stitution or under it
and not opposingit. This latter belief
he holds in common with all Demo-
Gratis. Few Democrats are ready to
adopt his views against second terms.
They reason that if Washington. JET
ferson Madison and Jackson served
second terms. Mr.. Cleveland, in view
of such precedent. can afford to sacri-
flee his private opinion TO the constitu-
tional will of the majority.
There is no issue involved. Before
there can be an issue it must be created
by discussion. and the people have not
been able to see that their National in
terests would be furthered or their pri-
vate rights made more secure by re-
stricting Presidents to one term in
Office. Perhaps if an issue were made
and fully discussed. the people in de-
cade or SO might come 10 hold the same
opinion the President holds now. If
they did. they would cause to be in
PRODUCED constitutional amendment.
which. submitted to the Legislatures
and adopted, would declare in a con-
astitutional form the constitutional
will. Until they have done so MIR.
aCleveland's opinion is private
opinion, not binding on him in his
public duties as President and
mot binding him as Demo-
crat against the action Of his party in
convention. If such a constitutional
amendment were proposed for .adop-
ton there would be ample room for
argument against it. While it would
be in accord with the JacksOnian rule
of rotation in Office. it would be an
extreme application OF it. An honest,
intelligent President is worth much
more to the people at the begin ming of
his second term than of his first. He
has had four years of education. and as
the people have paid for this education
Mt the rate of $4,000 a year, they
have q right to the benefit of it, if they
want it. If Mr. Cleveland will look
back over the four years of his term he
will be able to see that he has learned
no little since he took the oath of office.
He was good President in 1885, but
he was better one in 1888. and he will
be still better in 1890. Knowing more
now than he did in 1884 he ought to
be able to see that he was mistaken
in believing that the people are not to
be trusted in the matter of second
terms. 1t is true he did not take this
view of it exactly. He feared that if a
precedent were not made against Sec
sond terms ambitious men in office
might use the public patronage to de-
feat the popular will; but the time has
not come when this can be done. The
President can not even control \ Ma
tional convention of his own party
against the will of his party majority.
Mr.. Arthur, who was as good politi-
clan as ever went from New York to
Washington, tried it with all the power
sof the patronage, and made signal
failure. 1t is safe yet to trust the
American people. When a people be-
comes Enthusiastically, precedents-
even presidents established in the con-
stitution-become valueless. We have
seen recently how little constitutional
restrictions in this matter awaited in
Mexico.
Mr.. Cleveland is not candidate for
denomination, but when the st. Louis
convention renominates him he will
have no escape from being his party
candidate for reelection. St Louis
Republican.