The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-06-11
THIRD TERM nENIALs

There have been many ingenious state
ments current purporting to be denials Of
any purpose on the part of the Repub-
lican politicians to seek a third term SNr
President Mckinley. There is in nearly
all of them a rather stout cord attached
to the assurance which each contains that
the president will not be a candidate for
denomination.
1t would not be surprising if the Hon.
Chauncey NJ. Depew proved to be the only
real prophet among the imperialist dis
ciples.
The latest and one Of the most in
genious denials of any third term pur-
pose Is made by Gen. Grosvenor. The
general designates the tradition against
a third term to be a fiction. He thinks
it time, moreover, to abolish the fiction,
that there is an unwritten law. estab-
lished by Washington, that no president
of the United States may accept a third
term" The denial in this, as in most of
the other cases, is based on the assum-
ed unwillingness Of the president to
longer burden himself with the duties Of
his Office.
The only sanctity which could attach
to the fiction" of Gen. Grosvenor is in
his opinion derived from TIE false popular
belief that the Father of his Country was
against a third term on principle. That
distinguished character, according to the
Ohio congressman, was simply afraid
that the DEMOCRATS of his day would
beat him II he consented to be a can
didate
Washington was wise man. His wis
dom is apparent in either view of the
situation Whether he confined himself
to two terms through fear or throl
principle does not matter as much as Col.
Crosvenor or and his fellow adninistra-
tiOnsls would have US believe. In either
event his wisdom was made apparent.
There is perhaps only one other con-
dttion at the present hour which might
prove even more unacceptable to the
American people than the attempt to
re-elect President Mckinley. and that
was stated first, we believe by the dis
ttnguished statesman, Perry Heath. 1t
is the nomination of Marcus AureIius for
the presidency. There are a number of
old fashioned people left in the United
States who believe that the perpetual
ton in Office of the crowd which do their
loafng Immediately around the presi-
dental throne is the great danger of
the third term. There would not be
very acceptable alternative offered by
the succession to the presidency of the
great Organizer from the presidents
state. They would probably think them
selves able to distinguish dangers in the
situation thus created quite as great as
any which would be involved in third
term for the nominal incumbent of the
office of CHIEF executive. The line of sue
cession might hardly be declared to be
broken in that event; while with the more
pedantic of the opponents Of third term
the event might be looked upon as offer
ing an admirable opportunity not only
for a third but for a fourth and fifth
term and if necessary. a sixth For sure
" with the greater of the two great men
from Ohio elected, in 1904, a second term
would be inevitable, with the power of
choosing his own successor very plainly
available
Whether we are to have g perpetuatfon
Of the blessings of McKinleaIsm through
his election to a third term or through
the choice OF Senator Hanna as his sue
cessor the present presidential prospect,
if the imperialists arc to have their way,
is an interesting one.