The Teton peak., 1904-09-08
THE ONE.TERM PLEDGE
IMPORTANT DECLARATION 0Y
CANDIDATE OF DEMOCRACY.
Attempt BY Alton b. Parker TO Give
Points to Washington and Lincoln
IL Is the People Who Decide the Tern
Question.

In bis speech Of acceptance, Alton b.
Parker, the Democratic candidate for the
presidency, declined in advance a second
nomination for that once, and explained
himself by saying: Il am fully persuaded
40 incumbent Of that office should ever
be placed in a situation Of possible temp
tation to consider what the effect OF ac-
kion taken by him in an administrative
;natter Of great importance might have
upon his political fortunes. Questions OF
nomentous consequence to oil of the ps0-
ple have been in the past. and will be IN
the future, presented to the President for
determination, and in approaching their
eonsidera ton, as we'll as in Weighing the
facts and the arguments bearing upon
them, he should be unembarrassed BY any
possible thought Of the influence his de-
cision may have upon anything whatever
that may affect him personally.
Coming as it does from a man who 10
% unfamiliar with governmental meth
sds, and who is SO little acquainted with
The machinery Of administration. who has
never held civil ofics except on the
bench, who has never been in the Legis-
lAture or in Congress- and who has kept
himself far removed from the people. this
declaration Of Judge Parker 10 = strange
enc. He had 4 perfect right to say, II
be wished to, that he would not be 4
candidate for reelection, il chosen this
year. but It was unfair, un wise. and i'm
pertinent of him thus to read lesson to
Oh, 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 dimmed by the fact
that they were repeatedly can iidates Tor
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
Is-election, and no one Of them, 1t may
safely be said, ever allowed his candi-
dncy to influence his action in any i'm
Dortant matter brought to him for his de-
eision. 1t 10 but little short Of an insult
Tor this mere tyro in government to in
sinuate that the great men who have
worthly held the office of President. te
which be aspres. have permitted them
selves to be influenced In their action BY
their desire for reelection.
What would have happened to this
eountry In the trying times OF 1854 il
Abraham Lincoln, who honestly ant
Droperly desired a reelection, had fell
that he could not ask his fellow-citizen'
70 choose him President again, for feal
they might think his desire of election
Influenced him in controlling the armies
h the field which he had put there t.
preserve the republic and not to ahec
Bis own political fortunes?
Does Judge Parker believe that In tn
early days of the foundation Of the re
public. George Washington. who had Civ
On his life and his property to his coun
try, could have been swerved from hi
belief in the right or wrong Of any &C
ton by the desire to be elected Presi
dent again?
Can anyone believe TINT William Nc
Kinley. resting under the laurels so fresh
y placed upon him by the Spanish wal
and secure In the unbouuded affection o
the people Of every State, would hav
permitted himself to sign a bad law o
to refrain from signing a good one, mere
~ because of some effect it might hav
apon his chances for re- election?
The American people know only to
we'll that any man who is fit to be Pres
Dent can be trusted to perform the dutie
Of that high Office without disgracin
himself by permitting bis personal amb
ton to influence his public acts. Til
record of the American presidency IL FIRE
from such disgrace. and it is only char
table TO suppose that this declaration {
Judge Parker. rejecting as 1t does upo
the reputation Of the greatest men Of tt
republic, was merely tho careless theor
Of a man who has never sufficient
studied the American system of gover1
ment. and who in his retirement il 81
Dremely ignorant of the political histol
of his own country.