Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1905-05-18
Third Term Talk.

HtEu lCFHf diNs
There is an ancient proverb which
runs in this WISE promises, like pie
crusts, are made to be broken.
/ Whether Colonel Theodore Roosevelt
so regards the matter this deponent
saith not because he knoweth not 1t
will be remembered that on the night
of the election he declared that he
would not be candidate in 1908; that
he considered the three and one-half
years which he served prior to March
A. 1905, as his first term. That decla-
ration gave great joy to divers and
sundry aspiring statesmen. 1t seemed
to clear the field. Consequently some
thing like dozen of them were pull
ing wires, setting - pins, jollying the
public and overworking their press
agents even before President Roose-
welt was sworn in for his four years
term in his own right. Now certain
SNUG politicians, some of them To-
Gated in editorial sanctums, are deftly
preparing the way for the candidacy
of President Roosevelt in 1908, chiefly
for their own good They are trying to
arrange a set of circumstances in
which it will be his patriotic duty to
run again for the highest earthly office
Ia set of circumstances in which it
will be made to appear that he, and be
only, can save the republic from go
ing to what the late Mr.. Mantalini
would denominate 1.-THE demnition bow
vows" Whether they can make
President Roosevelt believe that such a
crisis exists remains to be seen. The
mere suggestion of such a condition of
affairs, however. must cause a sort of
heart failure in the breasts of the
divers and sundry ambitious states
men aforesaid.
If President Roosevelt chooses to
change his mind and to become can
didate once more there is nothing to
prevent "Wise men change their opin-
ions; fools never" so it is said. There
vision against third term. but there
is a deep seated, perhaps an ineradi
cable, prejudice against it, President
Mckinley at the flood tide of his pop
ularity so fully recognized it that he
promptly and emphatically sat down
Oh Senator Chauncey Mitchell Depew
and General Charles Henry Grosvenor
when those palpitating patriots pro-
posed a third term for him. He vastly
increased his prestige by SO doing.
First and last, there have been three
presidents who might have had third
terms had they so chosen-W Washington,
Jefferson and Jackson-but with wise
patriotism, which is one of their clear
est and strongest titles to the love
and gratitude of their countrymen, they
put away the great temptation from
before their faces. By so doing they
rendered great service to their coun-
try President Mckinley confirmed
and strengthened their example. In the
116 years of our existence under the
constitution only one man, General
Ulysses Simpson Grant, has openly as
pired to a third term, and, great and
popular soldier as he was, it was de-
MED to him after a struggle which
shook the Republican party to its cen
ter 1t has been repeatedly asserted
that Grover Cleveland wanted third
term, an assertion which has not been
proved Whether it could be proved I
do not know.
Of course President Roosevelt's case
is not wholly similar to that Of Wash
ington, Jefferson ct al He will have
served seven and half years on March
4, 1909, but he has been elected only
once. That fact might or might not
diminish the widespread prejudice
against a third term
Nobody appointed me his adviser,
Personally / like him. If, as his per-
opinion, I would unhesitatingly advise
him to adhere to his declaration not to
stand again for the presidency. He is
exceedingly popular. No man with
sense will deny that. If he adheres to
his declaration, everything he says and
does during his present term will re-
ceive the most favorable construction
as the words and acts Of man seek
ing to build a noble fame by purely
patriotic conduct No man ever had
finer opportunity to win high place
in history. On the other hand, the mo-
ment it is known that he is a candidate
for another term-or even, like Barkis,
is willin'-he will be vieiously assailed
by men and papers within his own
party-for the Souts" always outnum-
Der the Tins" Thousands who are now
exalting his horn in hope of getting
Office for themselves or their kinsmen
and friends will turn upon him and
rend him when he is known to be
candidate, if they have not been pro-
vided for As he cannot possibly take
| care of all the patriots anxious to sac
rifice themselves on the altar of their
country, there win be plenty of Repuh-
leans ready and anxious to even up
the score with him. BY again becom-
ing candidate he will afford them
a golden opportunity for revenge; by