Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-12-25
The One-Term and Long-Term Propo-
cifiOnc.

a
sitions.
Annually there are presented in each of
the two houses of Congress propositions
to amend the Federal Constitution so as to
provide that the President of the United
States shall serve but one term and that
this term shall be SIX years. The reasons
given are, first, that the present term OF
the President is entirely too short for so
exalted and important an officer, and. Sc
cond, that to make the President Ineligi-
bic to a second term would operate to dis
courage and put down all efforts to prosti-
tute that high Office to the bad work of
trying to re-elect President in order to
retain the spoils in the hands of the in
cumbents of the Federal offices.
We doubt whether the people consider
the term OF Office of the President too
short. They have become so accustomed
to electing a President once in every four
years that they would probably regard 1t
as curtaiment of their privileges as
citizens of free republic to provide by
law that they shall elect a President only
once in six years. A habit is a habit"
we have good authority for saying. And
the habit of voting quadrennially for
President is a habit which the "politi-
clans" will find it difficult to induce the
voters to abandon. 1t must be said, too,
that political campaigns and elections con-
stitute an educating process. IL would be
difficult to over-estimate the advantages
which have resulted to the people of the
United States from their frequent elections
and their campaigns of education" The
results Of the elections of last month
prove that the masses are intelligent
enough TO know their rights and cOura-
ceous enough to maintain them. CHARLES
DICKENS said that q mob in the United
States was mob in broadcloth. In other
words. the people of this country refuse TO
dress as peasants, or laborers, or as belong
ing to any other class of persons supposed
TO be inferior 10 the "best people," As
each of NAPoLEoN's soldiers carried mar
shal's baton in his knapssck. 80 each of
the voters Of this country always bears in
mind that one of his children or grand
children NAV be the Governor of his State,
or even the President Of the United States.
It NAV be truthfully SAID. we suppose.
that but for our frequent elections, our
stump-speeches and stump-speakers, our
Misunderstanding newspapers. and all the
other "luxuries" of our campaigns of edu-
cation. this country would to-day be
wofully deficient in the general intelli-
gence which makes 1t the wonder and adj
miration of the world. 1t 10 said that it
costs millions of dollars to elect President
Of the United States. So it does; but 1t IS
worth millions Of dollars thus
"To execute n froeman's will
As lightning docs the will OF God.'
II is worth all it costs TO prepare the peo-
pie to exercise intelligently the right Of
suffrage. To talk about the cost of q
presidential election is TO show that we do
not estimate at their true value the rights
of the people nor their capability of de-
Tending those rights. The advocacy Of the
wild schemes Of the Third-partyites NAV
be safely tolerated in a community of edu-
Gated men: for, as Mr.. JEFFERSON said.
Error is harmless where Reason is left
free to combat it,"
4. Il. STEWART left no children; yet he
worked hard as long "a he lived 10 accumu-
late colossal fortune. Childless men are
as anxious to become rich as are
the men whose houses are full of these
olive-branches. SO an incumbent OF the
presidential Office might work as hard to
get his favorite elected President of the
United States as he would work for him
self. Indeed, he might work harder and
have more capabilities Of mischief; for, as
it is now, the people keep watchful eye
upon the President aud expose his short
comings if be is guilty of any in his at
tempt to secure second term for himself.
They might not be so watchful of an ineli-
gible man.
Finally, We do not expect that either the
proposition TO have a six-years term or the
proposition to render the President ineli-
gible to a second term will soon become a
part of the Federal Constitution.