Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-10-15
A Hand-Out for Democrats,

General Grosyenor, who Is on the eve Of
retiring from Congress after a long service
there, expresses himself thus. on the SUBJ
ject of third term in the White House:
mo man in this republic is so great that
he should not bow to the demands of his
fellow citizens to fill any Office at any time,
regardless of circumstances, If the people
of the country demand 1t.
mo man Who has been elected to the
office of President has moral right to re-
fuse a reelection If the people demand 1t,
and the argument here made extends that
situation forward SO long as the demand Of
the people continues"
Oh, yes. And. by the same token, If at the
end of the third term the people should de-
clare for a fourth, and then for a fifth and
a sixth term, the incumbent of the presi-
dency would be bound to obey. But what
would be the offense against the spirit of
our institutions if man who after publicly
committing himself against a third term
well knowing to what 1t would lead. should
change his mind, or permit it to be changed
for him, and profit by what he felt would in
the long run be a peril to the nation ?
Would he not thereby be inviting, and
would he not maneuver to secure, a life job
for himself?
Continuing, General Grosvenor says:
the people Of the United States growing
out of the relation Of President to the coun-
try Is SO vast, so great, so far-reaching,
that 1t is the duty of the parties and the
duty OF the people to secure in the Office Of
President the highest qualifications posi-
ble Having found the right man, having
seen him subjected to the highest tests, and
found him not wanting, can it be said that
for mere tradition that has no warrant in
history, no support in the purpose of our
nj FRY Shal
ever find themselves debarred from an
action that would be to the interest and
benefit Of the country?"
This Is the explanation of the situation in
Mexico. The people having found a strong
and capable man In President Diaz decided
to keep him In office; and there he will re-
main while he lives. But do we want to go
on a Mexican basis? Are strong and capa-
Bile men as scarce in America as the Mexi-
cans have confessed that they are in Mex
leo?
Look around the republican circle. With
Fairbanks, Taft, Cannon, Foraker, Spooner,
probably Hughes, ana others, all available
who weighing his words, may say that the
republican party has come to be a one-man
party, the country a one-man country?
So far from being desperate, the situation
for the republicans would appear to be very
promising. Experienced campaigners, Mr..
Cannon among the number, after wide
personal observation, give the opinion that
the tide is still with the republicans, and
predict another republican House.
When democratic politicians and newspa-
pers coddle the third-term suggestion one
can understand 1t. Without single unity
ing issue, they would be delighted to have
their opponents present them one-and q
very strong one-on a silver salver. They
would leap to accept it. But why any re-
publican leader, with information as to
present conditions and prospects. should be
talking in this Grosvenor strain, and playing
into the hands of the democrats, Is a
strange, and almost inexplicable. PROPOSE
ton.