The daily news., 1900-03-14
Changes in Policy.

The Pensacola NEWS appears lately TO he
after anything for lchanEe." II has re-
Gently suggested that the constitutional
limitation giving incumbents Of the Ortice
OF governor single term only be extended
10 all other state offices. and, we believe, II
Intimated that the extension might profit
ably 60 on down the line TO tae county Of
noes. This strikes ;lS as a faT-ftt he'd Va Y
u arriving at a conclusion that the public
can always reach without being hedCpd
about or trammeled by irOn-clad coustitu-
tional law. The nomination and election
Of officers. under our present system, is en-
1irely in the hands OF the people. They can
make such changes aS seem cNpedient in
any election wear they desire. and consti-
lutiOnal limitation night be exceedingly
embarrassing al times when there was
general desire TO retain "a particularly mer-
ItOrious officer Let's not have TOO much
constitution ."-StRrke Telegraph.
The NEWS sincerely regrets that
il has produced the impression that
j is after anything for a change. "
The newspaper that hesitates to
suggest desirable changes, either in
governmental policy OF in the per
sQpDel 81 governmental irstrU-
ments OF administration, j. faithless
to its duty. By urging the adop-
tiOu OF a policy that operated 50 sat
Isfactoriiy ia the matter Of the gov
ernorship. THE NEWS simply seeks,
a. il should, the greatest good to the
greatest number. Had this limita-
tion existed in the constitution,
Florida would not now present the
amazing spectacle OF one state oiii-
Ger ready to accept a denomination
for an office which he has held since
1876: another similarly ready to ac-
cept an ,ilice he has held since 1855;
another, who having occupied his
office for three full terms ardently
desires il for fourth term; and still
another who desires "a third term.
The Telegraph says that"the nom
inatiou and election cf officers, un-
der our present system, l. entirely in
the hands of the people Unfortu-
ua:elv. such j. mt the case, except
IN theory. Delegations from the
people of the several counties often
eater ti.r -tate convention haudi-
capped. through their own iuditTeI-
ence 10 their rights, by ana agreement
that the rn'Ire vote Of the county
>nall be cast IN the c-uventiuE
according 10 the continents oI "a
majority of th- delegation. Moth
lny could he more ua-dtn'cratic.
Such delegations are rcpGr-cuta-
ave OF the personal wishes of "A few
leaders rather than ot the sentiments
al their constituents.
II the restriction 10 "a single term
should be considered too drastic. j.
might be modified to include TWO
successive terms. but to inlcuds
IL are than two would scarcely cure
the evils that are just now the sub
ject OF such strong condemnation
1hrou. hout the staSe. Provide thai
no state ofiicer--a4d include the gov
ernor therein. If 1t should seem ad-
visable-shall succeed himself in the
same office more than once. The re-
cult would prove far more univer-
sally satisfactory than is the present
restriction as to the incumbent Of
the guberuatorial office.
Notwithstanding the theory that
the people are all-pOwerful. the eN-
perience of recent years demon
strates the fact that the people do
not dominate the state conventions.
Ca the contrary, they are too prone
70 suffer themselves To be shOrn of
their rightful power by the skillful
lnanipuls;ions OF their leaders, who.
hv combinations among themselves,