The Springfield herald., 1904-09-09
THE ONE.TERM PLEDGE
IMPORTANT DECLARATION BY
CANDIDATE OF DEMOCRACY.
Attempt by Alton Il. Parker to Give
Points to Washington and Lincoln
It Is the People Who Decide the Term
Question.

In his speech of acceptance. Alton B.
Parker, the Democratic candidate for the
presidency, declined in advance II second
nomination for that once, and explained
himself by saying: Il am fully persuaded
no incumbent Of that oEiice should ever
be placed in situation of possible temp
tation to- consider what the effect OF nc
ton taken by him in an administrative
matter of great Importance might have
upon his political fortunes. Questions or
momsntous consequence to all OF the peo-
pie have been In the past, and will be in
the future presented to the President for
determination, and in approaching their
consideration, as well as In weighing the
fucts and the arguments bearing upon
them, he should be unembarrassed by any
possible thought of the influence his de-
cieion may have upon anything whatever
that may affect him personally"
Coming MS it does from man who is
30 unfamiliar with governmental meth
ods, and who is so little acquainted with
the machinery of administration, who has
never held a civil office except on the
bench, who has never been in the Lesis-
lature or in Congress. and who has kept
himself far removed from the people, this
declaration of Judge Parker is strange
one. He had n perfect right to say. il
he wished to, that he would not be
candidate for reelection, IL chosen TINS
year, but ii was unfair, unwise, anu I'M
pertinent of him thus to read lesson to
the great men of the United States who
have lived and died before him, and who
have left behind them great names which
have been in no wise dlmmed by the fact
that they were repeatedly candidates Cor
the suffrages of their fellow citizens, and
that they were repeatedly honored by re-
election.
Washington, Lincoln. Grant, Cleveland
and Mckinley were all candidates for
reelection, and no one OF them, it may
snfsly be said, ever allowed his candi-
dncy to influence his action in any i'm
portant matter brought to him for his de-
cision. 1t il but little short of an insult
for this mere tyro in government to in
sinuats that the great men who have
worthily held the office of President. to
which he aspires, have permitted them
selves to be Influenced in their action by
their desire for reelection.
What would have happened to- this
country in the trying times of 1864 II
Abraham Lincoln, who honestly and
properly desired a reelection, had felt
that he could not ask his fellow-citizens
to choose him President again, for fear
they might think his desire of election
influenced him in controlling the armies
in the field which he had put there to
preserve the republic and not to affect
his own political fortunes?
Does Judge Parker believe that in the
early days of the foundation Of the re-
public. George Washington, who had Civ
en- his life and his property to his coun-
try, could have been swerved from his
belief in the right or wrong Of any ac-
tion by the desire to be elected Presi-
dent again?
Can anyone believe thnt William Nc
Kinley, resting under the laurels so fresh
ly placed upon him by the Spanish war.
and secure in the unbounded affection of
the people of every State. would have
permitted himself to sign n bad law or
to refrain from signing good one, mere
ly because of some effect 1t might have
upon his chances for reelection?
The American people know only too
well that any man who is fit to be Presi-
dent can be trusted to perform the duties
of that high office without disgracing &
himself by permitting his personal ambi-
tion to influence his public acts. The
record of the American presidency is free
from such disgrace. and it is only chari-
table to suppose that this declaration OF
Judge Parker, rejecting as it does upon
the reputation Of the greatest men of the
republic. was merely the careless theory
of a man who has never sufficiently
studied the American system of govern
ment, and who in his retirement is su-
premely ignorant of the political history
of his own country.