The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-06-18
ALMOST pIscouRAaINa.

It is almost discouraging to read such editorial utterances as this. which We find in The Hartford tAla) News-Herald --discouraging because of its weakness:
 We notice that Cleveland is being ad- vocated by the Southern press for third term. We consider Mir. Cleveland as be- ing man of great ability and thorough ly competent of filling the place, but to send him back on third term, would be forth at the foundation of this govern ment. when our first great magistrate saw the danger in, the third term and refused to accept the same, and at the same time advised that no man should be allowed to serV1 as President of the Emitted States longer than two terms.
 As we have more than once stated we are neither surprised at, nor disturbed by. arguments against the nomination of Mir Cleveland, if they are founded on facts or even on reasonable assumptions but we do object to arguments which are not so founded and which are really per- versions of history. as in this case. If The NewsHerald were the only offender it would not be so bad, but there are many others who indulge in the same misleading line of reasoning.
 We know of nothing in Washington s history to show that he objected to a third term, except for himself. In his farewell address he lays great stress on the fact that his determination not to be again a candidate was fixed after due consideration. He dwells on his advanc- ing age, saying that he had long been weary of office and hoped to retire earl fer. but held on only as matter of duty, which was always dominating influence with him.
 Tn all this there is no word about Zig noring the principles set forth at the foundation of this government" nor did he advise that mo man should be allowed to serve as President of the United States longer than two terms" This Is all in the imagination of the opponents of MT. Cleveland. Washington did not as- eume the right or the authority to tell the people how many terms a President should be allowed to have" for he knew that there was nothing in the Constitu- ton regulating the matter and that man could hold the office as many terms as the people saw proper to give 1t to him. With equal propriety he might have said that no President should be allowed more than one term.
 There is some outside history connected with Washington's disinclination to serve another term aside from his advancing age, and aside from the long years he had been in public life. Few Presidents have been more violently or bitterly as- sailed and abused than he was towards the close of his administration. He was villihed and traduced with a bitterness which few of his successors have encoun- tered and he was sick of it. He might have been elected to a third term, but 1t would have been after contest that would have embittered all his term, and the last years of his life would have been his most unenjoyable ones.
 If this were a question of giving a President three consecutive terms The Advertiser would oppose it. as 1t has op- posed the same thing in times past, but there Is now no question of man build ing up machine to perpetuate his power. vened between Mir. Clevelands second and third terms. if he should again be elected have placed the entire machinery of the government in different hands. and if Mir. Cleveland had any machine 1t has long since gone to pieces. If he shall again be elected 1t will be because he is the choice of the people and they are above tradition and precedent.