The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-06-15
THE THIRD TERM TALK.
Only One Took Ii Seriously, and
That Was Mckinley.

Only One Took 1t Seriously, and
That Was Mckinley.
Washington, June 14.-Men may be
loQuacious, but not communicative That
can hardly be regarded as an eye-bulging
sta tement, but the only event of the week
worth remembering serves to bring it's
truth to mind. The members of the cab
met on Monday night were certainly very
laxative, but they were just as certainly
the most uncommunicative about the sub
ject they had under consideration as any
set of men could be. They talked and
talked, but third term! Not one thought
of even so much as mentioning it until
the next day. Then they grinned-yes,
grinned is the word--at those of their
newspaper friends who gave them re-
Droachful looks after it became known
that the President had cut the support
from under the garrulous statesmen who
have drawn the calcium light upon them
selves by talking third term and the rea-
sons why George Washington declined to
permit the use of his name to succeed
himself in 1877. Perhaps those statesmen
We're merely loquacious-not communica-
tive. But it is pretty hard on Charles
Henry Grosvenor, who has always cough
ed whenever anyone was making a list
of those friends who are considered right
near the President. Perhaps some of the
men put into that list are not really
standing in such close proximity as they
would have the hoi polloi believe Who
knows?
But it was really a great coup d etat
the cabinet made away with on Monday
night. 1t is the first time in years and
years that that body of distinguished men
has been able to withhold information
until it was intended to be disclosed. How
the six participants were able to
so guard their tongues so that
no inkling reached the ears of
those who were frantic to know what
that special meeting meant is a marvel
fit to be classed with the seven wonders
of the world of the ancents. 1t is a feat
that has not been accomplished since the
Civil War. What happened before that
time is like ancient history--its entertain
ing to know, but of no account for pur-
poses of comparison. A cabinet meeting
has heretofore been a good deal like a
secret session of the Senate-secret in
name only. However anxious cabinet Off
Gals have been to withhold information
some one of them has fallen in the at
tempt to keep his lips glued together.
Generally the disclosure has been made
unwilling, but very often some member
has been willing to talk "discreetly'-
nothing more than a wink and a nod. Of
course. but enough to give some one ma
terial to exchange with someone else who
has also had a wink and a nod After a
comparison of winks and mods has been
made it's a mere matter of addition. No
very difficult addition either. Something
like adding two and two.
The Presidents counselors were de-
lighted with their feat. That was a feeble
grin Romulus gave Remus, or Remus
gave Romulus, whichever way the ia
Bile has it, in comparison wi1h the grim
ming the cabinet men gave TER newspa-
per friends on Tuesday. 1t was a cha
grined lot of newspaper reporters who
gathered in the public places to Specu-
late how it happened. The only consola-
ton they could find was the fact that
they were all in the same condition. All
had accepted or pretended to accept the
assertion that the gathering at the
White House Monday evening was for
the purpose of congratulating the Presi-
dent upon the marked impro, ement of
Mrs. McKinley's condition.
The fact is the third-term talk had not
created much stir in Washington. No
body took it seriousy-except, it now ap-
pears, William Mckinley. Nobody thought
ne would pay any attention to it, The
idea that the cabinet would consider it
had not even entered the heads of cabi-
net men. When they were called in coun-
ell, they were as much surprised as the
public was Tuesday. The President was
the only one who had it. He wanted it
kept secret until the next day For a
wonder it was. The cabinet is normally
such leaky body.