The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1901-06-14
FRIDAY, JUNE IA, 1901.
STOPS SILLY TALK.

that he is not a candidate for a third
term and under no circumstances
will accept q nomination, ever If ten
dered him, President Mckinley has
effectually disposed Of a lot of idle
and silly gossip and at the same time
deprived the democratic press Of
what it imagined would be an enec-
tive weapon against the ~administra-
ton. Had he not made the announce
ment at this time and in the plain and
unequivocal language he employs,
every democratic editor in the coun-
try would have used his silence as a
weapon against him and his admins
tration, by constituting it as an acquies-
cence in the efforts which some of his
political friends apparently have been
making of late to place him before
the people as a candidate to. succeed
himself at the expiration of his pres
ent term.
Even short as the time has been
since Depew and some others have
been mentioning his possible third
candidacy, some of the democratic
publications have been putting this
construction upon his silence and al
leging that their utterances were in
fspired. Only a few days ago a prom
:inent and influential democratic news
paper of this state took occasion to
remark that Tentatively, one by one,
the political friends of President Nc
Kinley are throwing out the sugges-
ton of a third term" The same pa
per undertook OF say that the conser-
vative element of the republican par
.ty realized that the danger line was
being crowded pretty hard, referring
to alleged misdoings of the admins
tration, and would probably not con
sent to McKinley's candidacy, know
ing that his nomination would spell
defeat for the party. At the same
time, however, it stated that beyond
peradventure Mckinley was willing
to run the risk, saying that it might
be doubted whether any president who
has aver served two terms has not
looked with longing eyes on a third
term. What the papers authority
was for making the statement that
"Mr. Mckinley is a Barkis of the
deepest dye" is. of course, not known.
1t seems, however, that it was made on
mere superstition, the writer thereof
taking it for granted that, as he said,
it was doubtful whether any mar who
had ever filled the presidential Office
twice did not desire a third term. If
such was the case he guessed wrong
for once, or if he was really informed
that Mckinney wanted another try
at the office, his informant proved I'M
trustworthy.
The statement Of the president
wherein he defines his position is such
a one as those knowing the charac-
ter Of the man would expect him to
make. He makes it plain that he has
no desire to serve again, fully appre-.
ciating the honor which the nation
has twice paio him. The regret he e
presses that his name should have
been mentioned in connection with
another term is sincere and he shows
himself to be the patriot his party
has always claimed him to be when
he gives his reasons for taking cogni-
zance of the talk and for heading off
the discussion before it has opportuni-
ty to assume greater proportions. He
realizes the gravity and Importance
of the questions before the ad-
ministration and does not wish that
their just consideration should be
prejudiced in the public mind by even
the suspicion of a thought of a third
term" All he asks is that the nation
Judge fairly and honestly the acts of
his administration and to give it cred
it for doing what it believes is for the
nations best without consideration of
the future as far as it involves the
ambitions of the head of that admin
AolA III u POAAS1S0A way IlS CA-
deayors to make it plain that he as
pires for no further honors and is con
tent to guide the destinies of the ma
ton periodically and wisely as it is
given him to understand during the
remainder of his present term. and
when that shall have expired to lay
down the burden he is now carrying
and allow other shoulders to assume
it and continue to direct the nation
along the path leading to the ulti-
mate heights Of glory and grandeur
which fate has decreed shall be its
destiny. Let us hope that when the
next choice is made it will fall upon
one as well equipped for the RESPONSE
bilities and requirements Of the posi-
kior - = a. VIysY1{o- MoK;rYo- r.