Fair play., 1905-04-29
WHAT ROOSEVELT DECLARED
1t Nay Be Necessary fer the Presi-
dent to Make II Still
More Emphatic.

President Roosevelt left Washington
Tor his southern trip amid buzz OF
speculation. The prediction that he
will be the republican candidate for
president In 1908 is not limited to a
sensational newspaper which was, os-
lensibly at least his supporter IN
1904; it is echoed by republicans and
Washington correspondents who have
In other matters written as If inspired
have contributed their mite to the
third term propaganda. It becomes in
tercsting. therefore. observes the Al
bany Argus, TO recall the exact pledge
uttered by MIR. Roosevelt to the news
papers and through them to the peo-
pie, on the night of November S, in an
hour when his great triumph at the
polls was already apparent.
"On the 4th of March | shall have
served three and one-half years, and
this three and one half years consti-
tutes my first term. The wise custom
which limits the president to two
terms regards the substance and not
the form. Under no circumstances will
be a candidate for or accept another
term"
The two words cor accept greatly
strengthens and soldify this solemn
pledge. Palmer words were never
spoken" says the New York Sun. Per
| haps that is an overstatement. Gen.
! Sherman, when he said substantially
| that he would not accept if nominated
nor serve if elected, set the pace and
made the model for all time, in decli-
| nations intended to decline. But, new
ertheless, President Roosevelts declar
| alton and pledge is sufficiently explicit
so that to call it in question implies
doubt of his sincerity, truthfulness
and good faith, and we would not pre-
sumo to suggest that he reiterate it
with even greater emphasis had no
men who claim to be his friends cas-
doubts which might more naturally
have proceeded from sources Of accept
ed hostility.
Repetition is the mother of edu
cation" There are times when to sa!
the same thing over and to say it NOR,
emphatically, is the attribute o
strength, not the sign of weakness
Furthermore, things have been dom
and countenanced by the president
since November last which need to b.
explained and divested of all hint o
Caesarism.
1t was a mistake for instance, to le
the retirement of Cortelyou--that is
to say, of Roosevelt-from the repub
lican national committee pro forma
rather than real. 1t was a mistake T.
have Roosevelt-that is to say Cor
telyou- appoint dummy acting chair
man; the national committee shoul
have real chairman, avoid of suspi
cion of white house dictation. 1t is s.
natural for President Roosevelt to lill
power, and to exercise it for the SAX
of activity, that it is thinkabe that h
permitted these things to be done i
the honest belief that the hand of Ney
would be seen, and the voice of Cor
telyou heard no longer; that no ma
would perceive the convenience of sue
an arrangement to a receptive thir
term attitude or to a situation whereof
the white house should say who sha
be its next occupant.
He who would avoid all hint of Cat
sarism must be, like Caesars wifi
above suspicion, We sincerely hop
that the president will be dissuade
by no false pride from making yet al
other declaration. which shall foreve
put to sleep the thought that he is ca
pable of aspiring or consenting to tn
third term which the Father of Hi
Country relinquished- which prccoder
and the spirit of our institutions alik
forbid-which no American, howevc
great, will attain.