Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1892-03-05
Protest against the Third Term.
To u. EDITOR Of the REGISTER:

To the Editor OF the Register:
1t is understood that the Republicans
are preparing 10 make a desperate ell
fort to carry this State this fall. In
this district the Democrats are conf-
dent that no such calamity as repubi-
can success can happen; still they ex-
pect a more than srdinary effort will be
made to defeat them, and as precau-
tion they intend TO use every proper
means to bring out their full vote, and
thus make success doubly sure.
In this campaign we want no expert
ments or undemocratc elements. We
must have plain sailing along the recog-
nized and undertaking lines OF true De-
mocracy.
One of the cardinal facts in selecting
Democratic candidates for executive
offices in this State is that no person
who has held such an Office for two sue
cessive terms has ever been selected or
offered for third term. 1t is intimated
in the newspapers that the present
Auditor is willing to violate this estao-
lished rule. We hope this is not true,
and as friend of Mr.. Duffy, we would
be sorry to know that he was a party TO
any such violation Of the wise and just
Democratic precedents OF this State.
All the present executive officers, except
the Governor (who, under the Constitu-
ton, is Ineligible to succeed himseli)
have held their respective offices Tor
two consecutive terms, and each OF
these, except the Auditor, has publicly
announced that he will not be a canul-
date for third term.
When an ordinary man has been
twice honored with the same office by
his party, it is not only cheeky" but
ungrateful for him TO compel his friends
to slap him In the face to make him let
go the best elective Office in the State.
Such course puts both him and his
friends in an indicate position. If he
is not given the Office for the third
term he will likely become sour and
feel that his party has treated him
badly. On the other hand, il his friends
do not support him for the third term
thew will receive no credit for the sup
port already given him, and they Will
be regarded by him with less kindness
than if they had never supported him at
all. To make the best Of 1t third
teamism" is not only a "hogish," but an
embarrassing and disturbing element.
OF all these elective offices that OF
Auditor is the most easily administered
nv a new incumbent. All the routine
and details Of this office are conducted
bv experienced assistants and clerks,
while in the other offices the pritcipal
part of the work is personally conducted
by the officer himself. 1t is not likely
| the present Auditor would care to ad-
nit that the administration OF the office
suffered any detriment by turning out
his predecessor and giving it TO him,
who was then entirely inexperienced.
This being conceded, he ought to pub
licly decline to be candidate for a
third term, and thereby show his graft
tude for favors already conferred, and
relieve both himself and his party and
friends from embarrassment. This, as
we have said, has been voluntarily done
by all the other incumoentS, and we
hope and trust Mr.. Duffy, upon retiec-
ton. will do the same, both for his own
credit and for the good of his party.
While we do not endorse the doctrine
OF the cohesive power Of public plum
der" we do assert that the rule Of rota-
tion in Office, properly applied, is an
element of strength, which has always
been recognized by the Democracy OF
this State, and ought not in the present
campaign certainly, il at any time, be
ignorced. THIRD DISTRICT.
| LelpisbltrG, ". Va, March 3.