The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1901-06-14
Mckinley DOES NOT WANT
THIRD TERM.
OVER HIS OWN SIGNATURE
Gives Out Statement Clearly Defn-
ing Position He Occupies
on Subject.

Washington, June 11.-President
Mckinley today put an effectual quiet
us on the third term talk, which has
gained some currency in the newspa-
pers through interviews with certain
well known republicans favoring the
denomination Of the president for a
third term. Shortly before today's
cabient meeting adjourned Secretary
Cortelyou gave to the press a signed
statement by the president intended
for the American people, announcing
that he was not q candidate for a
third term and would not accept q
denomination If one was rendered.
The decision to issue such a state
ment was reached last night when the
president read to the members Of his
cabinet his proposed statement, at
the same time personally pledging
each to secrecy until the public an
nouncement was made. The cabinet
on hearing the reasons the president
advanced, which are substantially set
forth in the announcement today that
talk of a third term would react on
national policies the administration
is endeavoring to promote, conceded
with the view Of their chief that the
present was an opportune time for
it's PRONUNCIATION. The ~phraseology OF
the announcement was considered fur
ther by the cabinet today and after
a change or two from last nights
draft Secretary Cortelyou was direct
ed to make it public.
The presidents intimate personal
and political friends later expressed
themselves as not surprised at the de-
cision announced, but quite generally
conceded that they had not expected
such an announcement at this time,
thinking that the president would not
gossip. They said, however, that they
believed that the president had shown
his quick and excellent political judg-
ment by crushing a third term move
ment in its very birth.
Following is the signed statement
of the president, as given out at the
white house today:
II regret that the suggestion Of a
third term has been made. I doubt
whether / am called upon to give it
notice. But there are now questions
of the gravest Importance before the
+" 11 ~, - - nxra %hn W ~, = %p,vy Et = ~ a
their just consideration should not be
prejudiced in the public mind by even
the suspicion of a thought of a third
term. In view, therefore, of the re.
iteration Of the suggestion Of it, I will
a ~long-settled conviction, that I am
only not and will not be a candidate
for a third term, but would not accept
a nomination for it, if it were rendered
me.
"My only ambition is to serve
through my second term to the &C.
ceptance of my c~ountrymen, whose
generous confidence I SO deeply ap-
preciate, and then with them to do
my duty in the ranks of private citt-
zenship. VIM. M'KINLNY.
Executive Mansion, Washington.
June 10. 1901"
This statement was submitted at
last nights meeting Of the cabinet,
which had been informally called to-
gether. It met with hearty approval.
There was unanimous concurrence in
the belief that public discussion, il
allowed to go or, would not only place
the president in a false light before
the country. but would arouse antag-
onism and seriously embarass the ad.
ministration in the solution Of the
great questions before 1t.