Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-03-04
THE THIRD TERM QUESTION
Politicians Hope Mr.. Cleveland Nay Be
Provoked to Speak Early.
His Deliverance Must BE Distinct-All
Other Candidates Awaiting
His Utterance. .- sr-

The hope Is expressed in political circles
tfat II Mr.. Cleveland is only awaiting a
provocation 20 express himself on the third
term question somebody may provoke him
at very early day. There Is the liveliest
curiosity. amounting almost to an anxiety,
to hear from him on the subject Demo-
oIats who want him to run again, and
democrats who think such a step on his
part would be fatal to his whole reputation,
alike dwell upon the problem with feeling
OF uncertainty. The situation Is peculiar
the times are unsettled, the party is dis
organized. and not even the wiseacres are
undertaking to say what the year may
bring forth
Must Speak With Distinctness.
If Mr.. Cleveland speaks, to be satisfac-
tory. he must speak with great distinct
hess. No ordinary deliverance, or deliver
ance on ordinary lines, will satisfy the peo-
pie or the politicians. His is no ordinary
case. A simple declaration that he is not a
candidate for another term as President. or
that his name will not with his consent go
hefere the Chicago convention will not do.
HIS oVerzealous friends, 1t Is insisted
would not heed that. They might even be
provoked themselves to harder work in his
eenan tnan ever, and so ccmplicate mat
ters at Chicago as to increase the already
large sum of the difficulties to be encoun-
tered by the party there. What he is ex-
pected to say, II he breaks his silence, is
.hat tne precedent set by Washington on
the subject is, and ought to be, sacred in
tbls country, and that no man should either
pc encouraged or permitted to violate it.
Something like that would take his name
out OF the mouths of those who are can
Vassfng the list Of democratic leaders in
search of Moses.
An Unusual Situation.
The general situation is unusual tn the
point of novelty. Veterans are remarkine
that the party, old as 1t Is, and experienced
IN great variety Of vicissitudes, has never
before known anything like it, The con-
ventlon Is only four months OF, and vet
there are no candidates avowed Men are
even protesting against the use of their
names in the ordinary speculations on the
subject. Mr.. Whitney promptly nips his
boom. Mr.. Hill is not saying a word, and
hopes not to be forced to do so. Mr. OIney
and Mr.. Carlisle are holding their peace,
Mr.. Stevenson is as yet only a little cur
ious. No action will be against him for
anything he has said or done SO far
Col. MorrfsOn's Position.
Col. Morrison Is probably the only man
who has given his friends any reason not
to fear to go ahead in his behalf. And yet
even he is not openly in the field. He is re-
sarded as very strong man, and his
friends think that the party could at leas,
make very creditable run under his lead
ership; They are sounding sentiment all
over the country. But they are doing it in
very independent way. They are declar-
ing that Col. Morrison is a platform In
himself: that if he is nominated he must
not be weighted down with any ambiguous
party deliverance; that he stands for all
that is best in the modern history of the
party, and so forth.
Different From Four Years AxO.
This is strange talk to issue from those
with candidate in hand. 1t draws in it
self the sharpest comparison possible be-
tween the situation now and that of four
years ago. The platform then it is recall
ed. was of so little consideration to the
candidate that 1t was actually changed
from being pronunciamento in favor OF
protection to one in favor of free trade,
without in the slightest disturbing the pro-
gram that had already been made respect
ing the nomination. Mr.. Cleveland's friends
would have stood him on the former, as
they afterward did stand him on the latter