The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-10-22
NATION MAY FORCE
PRESIDENT TO run
Leaders Believe Popular Senti-
ment, by 1908, WILDE
. Insurmountable.
THIRD TERM OBJECTION
/ COINED BY ROOSEVELT
Present Term Really Is First to
Which He Was
49, ~ sgs
Elected. :s; ~.
BY w, w, Jermane.

BY W. w. Jermane. s@s@sE
Washington, Oct. 22.-The livehest
political subject in Washington Just
now is as to whether President Roose-
welt will accept denomination under
any circumstances. Three months ago
this question was promptly and EN-
phatically answered in the negative by
every man who stood in close rela-
tion to the president. Now it IS differ
emit. It is the firm conviction OF three
fourths of the leaders Of the repubil,
can party that popular sentiment Will
50 shape itself before the national con-
vention of 1908 as to amount to call
to duty upon the president. ..
Even Mr.. Roosevelt's closest political
friends admit there are circumstances
under which he or any other man would
be compelled, as a matter OF pubic
duty, to accept Leading republicans
do not take the "third term PROPOSE
ton as seriously as the president does
The president himself conceived and
published the idea that his present term
Is his second term.
Really His First Term.
As a matter of fact, strictly speaking,
II is his first term to which the people
have elected him. But the question Of
q second or third term is not figuring
prominently as a reason tor the pres1-
dent s accepting or declining the noml-
president, who has created by his own
aggressive policies an unusual situation
in his party, refuse to carry out the
work he has so we'll begunf It is ap-
parent now that many Of the reforms
which the. president has suggested and
some which have already begun, or will
have been started before the convention
meets in 1908, will not be perfected at
the end Of his present term of office.
Senator Elkins, who was not in &C.
cord with the president in the matter Of
railroad rate legislation, made the state
ment few days ago that the president
will be his own successor. He said the
people would demand it and the presi-
dent would be forced to accept. as a
matter Of public duty. Representative
Babcock, who was in Washington q
few days ago, was asked by friend
what he thought about the next nomi-
nee for president. .~. .--, 80
81. Cannot Decline, Ha Says.
at have believed for six months,
{ said Mr.. Babcoek, who Is an unusually
far-sighted politician, THAT the presi-
dent will be renominated. Heswll be
renominated under circumstances which
will not admit of his declining. His
policies have been such that q situation
has been created which no other candl.
date we could name could 80 we'll meet
I know it is distasteful to the presi
dent to have the leaders Of his party
speculate on the possibility Of his &C
ceptinp another nomination. I hesitate
therefore, to express an opinion fol
publication, but the conditions ought
to be patent to any one. The people
will demand the president g renomina
ton, and how can he decline 1tF !!
believe he would be elected by a mucf
more pronounced popular majority tnal
was given to him in 1901
This is the expression Of the stalwart
wing of the republican party in Wis
consin. The other wing goes even {
little farther. Senator La Toilette say!
that Roosevelt is the only republican
mentioned who can be elected in 1908
Root, Taft and Shaw Inactive.
It is significant that men like Root
Taft, and even Shaw, who have beel
mentioned as presidential candidates
cation. Secretary Shaw has recentl
given his friends an impression tina
his presidential candidacy is out o
commission. Mr.. Shaw has said private
" to friends that he believed popula
sentiment would compel the presiden
to accept renominatlon.
It will be remembered that Uncle 10
Cannon, who is very close to the pres
dent, promptly arrested a mevemen
from the platform in the Maine can
paign "that stranger things might hal
pen than the reelection Of Preside1
Roosevelt 9"
: A situation may be presented In til
fall elections soon to occur that wi
make the presidents nomination in
perative. If the election in New Yor
I should indicate that the radical force
of society are likely. to endanger tt
1908 the republicans would turn
President Roosevelt as one who won,
be certain of reelection. Every cand
date for office on republican tick
would be anxious to have at the hes
Of the national ticket in 1908 lead
who could insure victory. This eleme7
alone would have much to do with sha
ing sentiment in the next national co
vention.
TO Check Hearst Peril.
IF Hearst should be elected govern
of New York he would be formidaE
candidate for the democratic nomin
tion for president. He would probab
be able to nominate himself Just as
ulQ III NeW 1OIh. 44C WOulu uV vi
become a menace to the business int
ests. -E Eh
Leading republicans here do not
live that they could afford to take a.
risks by nominating for president ca
didate against whom any charge
corporate utilization or interest cou
be brought. They would be looking
vote-gctter. One of the president
closest friends said today that he COT
imagine one condition under which t
president would yield to the unanimo
call Of his party and that would be
save the country from Hearstism. 8
would be the delight Of Mr.. Roosevelt
life to trim Hearst said he.
While the national convention
nearly two years away the chances q
that popular sentiment will be sui
GENTLY crystallized one year from n,
to indicate beyond a doubt just w
the candidate of each political pal
will be. Political events move rapie
these days and sentiment is quick to {
ticipate political conventions.
More Reforms Due.
In the next session Of congress I
president will recommend many
forms. He will outline his inheritar
Continued an Sd Page, 9Th Column.