The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1901-06-14
NO THIRD TERM.

NO THIRD TERM.
President Mckinley has put his foot
down most emphatically upon the third
term talk and yesterday over signed
statement declared that he was not
only not candidate for third term,
but would not accept a nomination
were it rendered him. That is definite
enough for any OF his most enthusiast
tic admirers. William Mckinley will
go down into history as one of the
greatest of our presidents. The presi-
dent has been a singularly fortunate
man. Twice in national conventions
he cast aside the presidency as by a
wave of the hand, a third time the
proffer came and was then accepted.
Thus he demonstrated the exception to
the rule that opportunity knocks but
once at every mans door. And in this
delay fortune favored the man for it
made him president at time when
great world questions opened up and
gave chance for the display of great
powers in the person of the occupant
of the white house in the handling of
them, and the man was equal to the
occasion, and his foreign policy has
been as brilliant and successful as has
that of his domestic policy.
In all probability William Mckinley
could easily be elected president a
third time. He is one of the most
popular of presidents He has won
derful hold upon the affections of the
people, and if any man could break
down the barriers which are supposed
to stand before third term he is most
surely the one. Further than this we
believe that in this case the people
would benefit from the wise experience
of President Mckinley as chief magis
trate for four years more. 1t would
ensure the carrying out of the great
work he has in hand, perhaps better
than another could do, though in full
accord with his views.
But what would Mr.. Mckinley or
any other man want of third term
in the presidency. It would not add
one iota to the great honor he has at
tanned, or will attain at the close of
his eight years of Office. 1t would sim
! ply mean four years more of hard work
and tremendous responsibility. Evil
IDENTIFY he feels that when his present
term has closed he will have had
enough of that.
Taking view of the other side of
the question it is most fortunate
thing for the people that man as pop
ular and successful as Mr.. Mckinley
is, should take the stand he has taken.
No man can hope to stand in better
or stronger position for third term
than he has stood up to his emphatic
refusal yesterday. This refusal puts
to sleep forever all question of third
term for president no matter how
ever..popular or ambitious he may be.
1t is in accord with the real feeling
of the American people. Washington
would not take it. The indiscreet
friends of Gen. Grant could not obtain
it for him, and now Mckinley en-
phatically declares himself not posi-
bility This will securely seal a pre-
cedent that will hardly be overturned.
There is no question but that in his
refusal to be third term Candidate
some of his political opponents will be
greatly disappointed. They had hoped
he would be induced to become party
to the scheme, in the hope that they
could induce the American people to
believe that it was simply an imperial
scheme and meant the end of the re-
public. In this was their only hope Of
success in 1904. Simply the hanging
of thread. Some of his carping crit
les will no doubt take the ground
that he was trying to refuse something
that has never been offered him, and
might not have been offered But the
president in his statement has made
that part plain. The talk having re-
ceived the endorsement of Senator De-
!,
becoming somewhat serious, and fur
ther silence would give suspicion that
their views were sanctioned by the
president. This statement relieves the
administration of that suspicion and
leaves the president free to handle the
great questions before him in per-
fectly unbiased manner, or from any
chance of any misunderstanding on the
part of the public that politics were
being played with them.
1t was happy move on the part of
the president and will make the re-
mainder of his administration all the
stronger for it.