The Irish standard., 1901-06-15
NO THIRD TERN FOR MCKINLEY.


A few representatives Of the Ameri-
can plutocracy took it into their heads
to boom William Mckinley for a third
term in the White House. That face
tious statesman, Chauncey NJ. Depew,
of New York, was the first to sound the
public pulse in behalf of Mac. He
interviewed himself in Chicago and
sent out his eulogy of Mckinley on the
wings Of the press. A few days after
wards, Congressman Grosvenor Of
Ohio, personal and confidential friend
of the president, took up the refrain
and declared that Mckinley was great
er than Washington, and that the ia
Their of his country refused third
term simply because he feared defeat
ut the hands of the Democratic party
of his day. "There has been no time in
our history" said the Ohio lingo, "when
conditions would so justify the election
of a president to a third term as in the
case of Mckinley" He thought it was
time to demolish the fiction that there
ds an unwritten law against third
term but to mitigate his reference to
the well established precedent and his
dispersion OH Washington's motive in
refusing to run third time he wound
up by saying he was almost ready to
advocate a change in the constitution
creating a term of six years for the
presidency and making the incumbent
ineligible for second term.
After reading Grosvenor's remarks
the American people had good reason
10 believe he had spoken with author
fifty as the mouthpiece of the Napoleon
of Canton, and therefore they began to
think that the Republican party IA
vored /! imperialism. The Republican
press, however, disabused thin of that
idea. The leading organs Of the party
demurrcd to a third term: and with
his ear to the ground Mckinley heard
the murnurs of dissent and realized
that the Jig was UP with him so far
as Il third term was concerned. He
therefore called meeting of his cabi-
issued the following statement with his
name attached:
II regret that the suggestion of
third term has been made. l doubt
whether l am called upon to give it
notice. But there are now questions of
the gravest Importance before the ad.
ninistration and the country and THEN
Just consideration should not be preju-
diced in the public mind by even the
suspicion of the thought of third
term. In view, therefore, of the reite-
ration of the suggestion of it, will
say now, once for all, expressing long
settled conviction that l not only am
not and will not be candidate for
third term. but would not accept a
nomination for it if it We're rendered
me. My only ambition is to serve
through my second term to the accept
ance of my countrymen, whose gene
rous confidence 1 so deeply appreciate,
and then with them to do my duty in
the ranks of private citizen"
Whether Mckinley will keep his
promise time alone can tell. His eulo-
gists and admirers have made a mis-
take in coming out for him three years
in advance of the expiration of his
second torn. Later on he may deem it
his "plain duty" in the interest of
"lihcrty and humanity to change his
mind and consent to be the standard
bearer of the plutocracy in the next
great battle Of the ballots. Much de-
ponds upon Mark Hanna. If that bril-
liant statesman desires the nomination
for himself, then Mckinley will be re-
tired to the ranks of private citizen
ship. If he wants Mckinley for four
years more, the little Napoleon will be
a Barkis. The statement issued by
"'wobbling Willie" will not set at rest
all talk of third term if Hanna does
not want to succeed him in the exec,l-
tive chair. The people, however, will
never allow the republic to be changed
into an empire.