Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1900-11-08
CHAMP qAR'S LETTER
One Term Enough For
the Chief Executive.
THEREAFTER INELIGIBLE
Period of Office to Be Length
ened to Six Years.
THEREAFTER INELIGIBLE
SENATORS AND REPRESENTATIVES,
Especial washington Letter. ]

oOuhu hhu ury-Campa1gm Com
trasted = John sherman's Career.
william L. Wilson's Fame.
Especial Washington Letter.1
1t seems to me that this Is a fitting
occasion to suggest certain changes or
reforms In our political system. a
president ought to be elected for six
years and made forever ineligible for
reelection, representatives In congress
ought to be elected for a term of three
years, senator's of the United States
ought to be elected by direct vote of
the people, the election ought to be
held the 1st of October, and represent
atives should begin their service on the
1st of November. congress convening
on that day. In this way we would
have a general election once In three
years, as there is no doubt that the
states would soon SO remodel their con-
stitutions and electoral system so as to
fit in with the general plan. A presi-
dent should have a six year term and
made forever ineligible, because, as
Mark Twain says. human nature Is
very strong, and we have a great deal
of it in US" Presidents. being only hui
man, are no exception to the rule. The
love of power is the master passion of
the human mind. Every president ex-
cept Washington and Hayes has spent
a large portion of his first term striving
to secure a second. Washington,
think, did desire a second term, and
Hayes knew he couldn't get a second
term. All the rest bent their energies
to SO arrange matters as to be re-eIect-
ed. Just why a rational creature is not
satisfied with one election to the high
est Office in the world doth not appear,
but the fact remains as stated above. |
would take away from presidents the
temptation to play politics for their
own aggrandizement and thus guaran-
tee to the people that to which they are
entitled-the best and most exclusive
efforts of their chief magistrates to
serve them for the public good
AS to the election OF senators of the
Fy.ait-sa s5tsstesS y J EsvI,si 4l,e i.p-.-
efits of that plan over the present sys-
tenn are so apparent that it is waste
of time to even state them.
Present System Poor.
The most ridiculous feature Of our
present system is that representatives
are elected 10 months before they real
" begin their services unless there is
an extra session of congress. In this
electric age Issues may change and
really sometimes do change radically
in 10 months. That happened only re-
Gently. The congressional and presi-
Dental elections of 1892 hinged entirely
on the tariff question. That was the
only issue discussed that year. Never
thelesS long before the congress elected
in 1892 began its Iabors the issue shift
ed to finance, and the great Democratic
majority was divided into two warning
factions even before the representa-
tiyes were sworn In. Representatives
should begin their service within 80
days of their election. The most dam
aging part of our present plan is that
a house of representatives utterly re-
Dudiated by the people in November
has till the succeeding March In which
to legislate, and vast deal of bad leg
islation may be and frequently is fas-
tened upon the country by repudiated
congress in that length of time.
A Peculiar Campaign.
The recent campaign was peculiar in
several respects:
First.-In the sedateness of mind
manifested by the voters. 1t really
took on the character of llstlessness or
apparent indifference to such an extent
that it caused the leaders of both par
ties to set up a lusty and warning
shout of apathy" which in the end
had much TO do with getting out the
vote.
Second.-Another unusual feature of
the campaign was the fact that very
few men of national proportions mate
rally increased their regulations either
as statesmen or orators. The number
who achieved added distinction was
unusually small. OF course 1t was i'm
possible-utterly so-for either Mr.. Nc
Kinley or MIR. Bryan to gain much new
fame. for their names were familiar as
household words before the campaign
began. Henry Ward Beecher repre-
sented one of his characters as never
looking older for the all sufficient rea-
son that she had always looked as old
as she could look. By something of the
same logic Bryan can never increase his
reputation as an orator. fer since his
astounding performance In that line In
nominating himself at Chicago In 1896
he has been recognized as the greatest
living orator. perhaps the greatest that
ever lived. Even The Globe e-Democrat
which under It's present management
has degenerated into mere organ
grinder. not long ago conceded to Bry'
nm the first place among the campaign
orators this year.
From a critical standpoint Mr.. Nc
Kinley has never been regarded as al
orator. He is strong, clear and inter
esting speaker No amount Of speech
making this year would have places
him In the rank of great orators, Ii
matter what sycophantic editors an
inspired reporters might have SAT-
about it. but he preserved the trad
tions of his high office by remaining Of
the stump. / don't see why az occu
pant of the White House who is can
didate for reelection should be compel
led to remain silent, but those who ar
up in presidential etiquette have de
eided that president shall remail
| dumb as an oyster while seeking sec
ond term ! am sure that Mr. McNin
ley would have received hearty wei
come, even from Democrats in an.
portion Of the republic, for there is n
rancor against him personally any
where.
Hanna. she Ridicu1ous.
Bourkc Cochran added absolutel
nothing to his fame either in 1896 o
1900. Unless all signs are deceptive b
anched his high water mark as an ora
r and hi popularity IN 1892 ut Chiea