The record-union., 1892-03-11
OFFICE OF PRESIDENT.
PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO THE
CONSTITUTION.
No Person Who Has Held the Office
Eligible Within Four Years After
the Expiration of His Term.

WASHINGTON, March 10. = Senator
Stewart has prepared and will introduce
at an early day the following joint reso-
luton, proposing an amendment to the
Constitution concerning eligibility to the
Office OF President:
''ResolUed by the Senate and House of
Representatives of the United States Of
America in Congress assembled two
thirds of each house concurring therein),
that the following proposed amendment
to the Constitution of the United States
shall be submitted to the several States
for their approval or rejection:
Article XVI. No person who has held
the office OF President for a term of four
years, or any part thereof, shall be eli
gible to that office within four years after
the expiration of such term. This article
shall take effect and be in force on and
after the 4th day Of March, 1872
An explanation of the objects of the
resolution is to be referred to the Commit
tee on Civil Seryiceiand Retrenchnent,
because it relates particularly to the sub
Ject OF which that committee has jurisdic-
tiOn.
THE object of the advocates of civil
service reform as / understand t." SAYS
Steward, sis to remove from the admins
tratlon of the Office political considera-
tionS. 1t is difficult 10 understand how
this can be accomplished by placing the
appointment or clerks and tide walters
under the control OF the Civil Service
Board, while the Presidential office, i'll
which the appointing power is lodged,
may be used for continuing in office the
incumbent, whoever he may be. In
theory it is possible for the President to
make the White House the storm center
OF d political campaign during his entire
tenn. | say in theory because no one
will Clof-era flaa -54I,
using the patronage OF his Office 10 secure
his own reelection. That being the case.
| regard this as the most favorable oppor-
tunity to prevent any future President
using the enormous power intrusted to
him Tor selfish or partisan purposes. 1t
would be manifestly unfair to propose a
change III the Constitution affecting the
opportunity of any possible candidate for
|, President.
'To avoid any interference with the
mbition of candidate and also to avoid
any implied reflection upon the present
incumbent or any other aspirant, pro-
vide that the proposed article shall not
take effect until the 4th of March, 1887.
The power of patronage of the President,
and the growing disposition to increase
that power and patronage by legislation,
must satisfy rejecting men that the time
is not far distant when the temptation to
use such enormous power to continue an
be resisted.
at will be observed that the proposed
amendment does not disqualify person
who has held the office of President from
re-election TO that office after the expira-
ton of four years from the end of his
term. An eN-President is private citi-
zen, and there is no good reason why, as
such, he should not aspire again TO hold
that high office. The object of the amend
ment is TO remove the temptation of all
future Presidents to conduct a political
campaign for reelection with the power
and patronage of his Office. 1t is no suffi-
cient answer that such power has not
been heretofore abused. The power of
the President must necessarily grow
with the growth of the country, and il
can hardly he anticipated that all future
Presidents will follow the example OF the
present incumbent and his predecessors,
and refrain from engaging in a contest
for reelection while administering that
great office for the benefit of all people
with justice and impartiality."
why do you not increase the term to
six years?'
Senator rStewart-s'Because there would
be great danger of a revolution if such an
enormous prize as six years term were
at stake. A term of four years is as long
as it is safe for the stability of the Gov
ernment. 1t was only because the term
was confined to four years that the un-
happy contest in 1876 was peacefully set
tied. The prospect of q change in four
years for more than a century has in
duced the people TO willingly submit to
many irregularities in the elections of
President. There is no necessity for try
ing the doubtful experiment of longer
term. Frequent elections, although ex-
penSive, are worth all the cost In their re-
straining effect upon the office-holders,
and in the education of the people in a
constitutional government"